Guest Archives

Bob Collins, playground designer, RGC Design, and author,The Complete Guide to Playground  Development;

Dr. Jodi Crane, Assoc. Prof. and Director, Appalachian Play Therapy Center, Lindsey Wilson College.

Many schools are cutting recess and playgrounds to give children more time in the classroom. However, research shows that children need free play, and learn better when they have it. Two experts discuss the advantages of free play.

Dr. Sandra Steingraber, Scholar-In-Residence, Ithaca College and author, Living Downstream and Raising Elijah: Protecting Our Children In An Age of Environmental Crisis

Dave Wentz, author, The Healthy Home: Simple Truths to Protect Your Family From Hidden Household Dangers.

Children are most vulnerable to the toxics in our environment. The US has fewer rules requiring testing of new chemicals compared to the EU, so it is mostly up to parents to keep children safe. Two experts discuss the important steps parents can take.

Dr. Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, Professor of Research Psychology, Clark University and author, When Will My Grown Up Child Grow Up? Loving and Understanding Your Emerging Adult

It’s much more common today for 20-somethings to delay moving out of Mom and Dad’s house to start an independent life. An expert discusses the reasons for this trend, and emerging thought on whether this apparent new stage of life is normal.

Dr. Edward Noffsinger, group visit consultant and author, The ABC’s of Group Visits

Dr. Edward Shahady, Medical Director, Diabetes Master Clinician Program, Florida Academy of Family Physicians

Access to doctors is a major problem in American healthcare. It can take weeks to get in to the doctor, and then a patient may have just a few minutes time in the exam room. Researchers have devised group visits as a solution, as long as patients are willing to share their lengthened appointment time with a dozen or so other patients. Experts discuss the pro’s and con’s.

Dr. Victoria Sweet, Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco and author, God’s Hotel: A Doctor, A Hospital, and a Pilgrimage to the Heart of Medicine

Most US counties had an alms house at one time, a form of charity hospital/housing for longer term recovery. Today, almost none exist. A doctor who spent 20 years at an alms house discusses the lessons it brings to how medicine can be done.

Freya Koss, Director, Pennsylvania Coalition for Mercury-Free Dentistry and publicist, International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology

Dr. Phillip Sukel, mercury-free dentist, Huntley, IL and former President, International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology

Dr. Edmond Hewlett, Professor of Restorative Dentistry, UCLA School of Dentistry and consumer advisor, American Dental Association

Some 180 million Americans have silver tooth fillings, which contain mercury. Some advocates and dentists claim they should be banned because they release mercury vapor, which can cause severe health problems. However, the FDA, American   Dental Association and other authorities insist there is no health issue. Experts on each side discuss the evidence.

Dr. Francesco Pia, water safety educator

Mario Vittone, Retired Marine Safety Specialist, US Coast Guard

Seven hundred children under age 15 drown in the US each year, most within sight of a parent or other adult. Experts discuss one major reason: drowning doesn’t look like most people picture it, and so are unaware the child is in trouble.

Mary Roach, author, Gulp: Adventures On the Alimentary Canal

Most people have little idea what goes on in the digestive system. A science writer explains everything she found during an exhaustive investigation.

Dr. Arthur Beaudet, Professor and Chair, Department of Molecular and human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine

Dr. Christine Courtois, psychologist and author, Healing the Incest Wound: Adult Survivors in Therapy

New DNA tests given for other reasons can reveal when a new baby is the product of incest, even without parental cooperation. A doctor’s legal obligation to report is clear in the case of child abuse. But what should doctors do if both parents are of age and incest is revealed? Experts discuss.

Dr. Margie Lachman, Professor of Psychology, Brandeis University

Dr. David Almeida, Professor of Human Development, Pennsylvania State University

Many people believe that middle aged men almost inevitably face a midlife crisis, resulting in intemperate behavior, divorce and the purchase of convertibles. Experts trace the origins of the theory and why it doesn’t hold up to examination.

Jessica Wapner, author, The Philadelphia Chromosome: A Mutant Gene and the Quest to Cure Cancer at the Genetic Level

Nancy and Jessica Wapner discuss how far cancer treatment has come.

Scientists are hotly pursuing the genetic roots of cancer to treat the disease without harming normal cells. But when they first stumbled onto a single mutation that caused a form of leukemia in 1959, researchers had no idea what to do with the    discovery. A science writer describes 40 years of innovation to get from the microscope to the first genetic treatment.

Dr. Nina Shapiro, Professor of Head and Neck Surgery, UCLA

Dr. Sara Gottfried, Integrative Physician and author, The Hormone Cure

As many as 40 percent of Americans suffer from insomnia. Two experts discuss consequences of our sleep deficit and a variety of ways to give people a better chance to sleep soundly all night.

Dr. August Piper, psychiatrist and internist, Seattle, researcher into narcoanalytic interviews

Dr. Elliot Atkins, clinical and forensic psychologist

Police and prosecutors have long sought technologies to help them solve crimes and gain convictions. Use of “truth serum” is one such effort. Research shows subjects are able to lie and are extremely suggestible under its influence, so these narcoanalytic interviews are seldom used. Even so, a Colorado judge has okayed their use on the alleged Aurora theater shooter should he attempt an insanity defense. Is that ethical? Might it work? Experts discuss truth serum and its use.

Dr. Chloe Atkins, Associate Professor of Law and Society, University of Calgary and author, My Imaginary Illness: A Journey into Uncertainty and Prejudice in Medical Diagnosis

Dr. Brian Hodges, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Toronto

Diseases that produce no diagnosis are frustrating for both patient and physician, to the point that some doctors conclude that even a real illness must be “all in a patient’s head.” One victim discusses such a misdiagnosis and its implications.

Listen to a preview of the segment:

Dr. Kim Knowlton, Senior Scientist, Health and Environment Program, Natural Resources Defense Council

Dr. Lew Ziska, plant ecologist, USDA Agricultural Research Service Crop Systems and Global Change Laboratory

The 40 million Americans with allergies are finding allergy seasons are getting longer with higher pollen counts as a result of climate change. Experts discuss this change and how it could affect public health.

Dr. Angelo Acquista, New York University Medical Center and author, The Mediterranean Prescription

Nancy Harmon Jenkins, author, The New Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet, high in olive oil, beans, nuts, vegetables and fish, has been found to cut the risk of death by up to 30 percent in high risk people. Experts discuss why this style of eating confers such advantages and how people can eat such a diet inexpensively.

Gail Gibson Hunt, President and CEO, National Alliance for Caregiving

Jody Gastfriend, Vice President of Senior Care, Care.com

About one of every six US workers is also a caregiver for an elderly parent or loved one. This creates a drag on productivity in the workplace as employees arrive late, leave early, take work time for caregiving issues and deal with extra stress.  Co-workers also have to pick up the slack for these workers. Experts discuss the issue and how employers can prevent problems.

Dr. Gregory Price, Professor of Economics, Morehouse College

Deborah Rhode, Director, Stanford Center for the Legal Profession

Researchers have found that short, less-attractive people are less likely to be employed than tall, beautiful people, and so are statistically more likely to turn to a life of crime. Experts discuss the ramifications of this legal discrimination on society.

Randy Swart, Director, Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute

Avery Burdett, blogger at VehicularCyclist.com and editorial board member, Bicycle Helmet Research Foundation

Dr. Susan Shaheen, Co-Director, Transportation Sustainability  Research Center, University of California, Berkeley

Twenty-one US states require bicycle helmets for children, but they remain controversial for adults and few jurisdictions require them. Experts discuss conflicting evidence on helmet effectiveness, the possibility that helmet laws reduce ridership, and other governmental actions that could reduce injuries and deaths even more than helmets.

Katherine Ellison, author, Buzz: A Year of Paying Attention

Having a child with ADHD is often difficult for parents, but when a parent has ADHD as well, it can set up an explosive situation. One such parent who went on a quest of understanding explains the “inside story” of the dynamic and suggests solutions.

Jonathan Bloom, author, American Wasteland

Pam Stuppy, registered dietitian, York, ME and Portsmouth, NH

Ross Fraser, spokesman, Feeding America 

Americans throw out 25 percent of the food we bring home. Food makes up 18 percent of landfills. Experts discuss why we waste so much, how to combat waste, and how hunger organizations are turning food that used to be thrown out into good meals for the needy.

Barry LePatner, founder and senior partner, LePatner & Assoc. construction law firm, New York, and author, Too Big to Fall: America’s Failing Infrastructure and the Way Forward

David Goldberg, Communications Director, Transportation for America

Preview:

America’s infrastructure is falling apart. Hundreds of bridges have failed the last 20 years, and thousands more are structurally deficient. Experts fear that the Minnesota bridge collapse in 2013, killing 13 and injuring 145, may be only the first of many tragedies or, at the very least, severe economic loss if state and federal governments fail to address the issue.

Dr. William Walsh, President, Walsh Research Institute, and author, Nutrient Power.

Preview:

Doctors now accept that mental illness is often the result of chemical imbalance in the brain. A researcher discusses the genetic inability of some people’s bodies to process some nutrients, leading to imbalances, and the nutritional therapy that might correct them.

Gerald Shea, author, Song Without Words: Discovering My Deafness Halfway Through Life

Dr. Bob Peters, President, Dallas Ear Institute and Dallas Hearing Foundation

Dr. Karen Emmorey, Professor of Speech, Language and Hearing Science, San Diego State University

A man who went mostly deaf at age six but did not realize it explains his survival skills honed over 25 years. He and several experts discuss implications of hearing loss, use of cochlear implants, and teaching sign language to children.

Douglas Starr, Professor and Co-Director, Center for Science and Medical Journalism, Boston University and author, The Killer of Little Shepherds

Science is a routine part of today’s criminal investigations (and TV shows about them). An expert discusses how the  forensics revolution came about as a result of one man and a now-forgotten French serial murder case.

Dr. Bonomi discusses some of the shocking teen dating abuse statistics from her study.

Deinera Exner-Cortens, doctoral candidate in human development, Cornell University and author of new study

Katie Ray-Jones, President, National Dating Abuse Helpline

New studies show dating abuse among teenagers may be twice as prevalent as previously thought, and that it has bad effects on behavior years later. Experts discuss this new research, why such behavior may be so common, and resources for teens who may find themselves in abusive relationships.

Dr. Eric Finzi, Dermatologic Surgeon and author, The Face of Emotion: How Botox Affects Mood and Relationships

A few studies have shown that treatment of frown muscles can effectively treat many cases of depression. The developer of the technique discusses how brain-muscular “feedback loops” affect mood.

    Dr. Jeff Carroll, Director, Clinical Services and Engineering, Soundcure Inc.

Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, affects millions of Americans, though many of them do nothing about it. Some who seek treatment cannot be helped with common masking solutions. An audiologist and inventor of a new technology for tinnitus symptoms discusses the issue.

Dr. Gary Namie, Director, Workplace Bullying Institute

Meredith Fuller, psychologist and author, Working With Bitches: Identifying Eight Types of Office Mean Girls and How to Deal With Them

In this clip Meredith Fuller discusses the effects of workplace bullying and how some people even blame themselves.

Studies estimate that at some point in their careers, 35 percent of workers will be bullied badly enough to affect their health. Experts discuss the reasons for workplace bullying, the outcomes, and some of the few ways to prevent it.

Dr. Rebecca Gardner, University of Washington Seattle Children’s Research Institute

Dr. Stephen Grupp, Director, Translational Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Researchers have succeeded in treating a small number of leukemia patients using their own immune systems. The patient’s T-cells are altered to recognize and destroy cancer cells while affecting very few healthy cells, similar to the way T-cells kill a virus. It could mark a breakthrough in cancer treatment if further trials are successful.   

Jaimal Yogis, author, The Fear Project

Fear keeps many people from doing what they want, even when fear isn’t reasonable or justified. A journalist who investigated the brain’s fear pathways and roots discusses how this most ancient instinct often doesn’t work in the modern world.

Jared Diamond, author, The World Until Yesterday: What Can We Learn from Traditional Societies?

An expert discusses his study of traditional native societies, which shows how human genetics have not adapted to change.

Dr. Shoshanna Bennett, clinical psychologist, author, Postpartum Depression for Dummies and founder, DrShosh.com

Dr. Paul Ramchandani, Department of child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Imperial College, London

Dr. Will Courtenay, founding editor, International Journal of Men’s Health, founder, MensDoc.com and PostPartumMen.com

Doctors are on the lookout for postpartum depression in new mothers. However, around 10 percent of new fathers may also experience depression in the first six months after their child’s birth. Experts discuss differences in symptoms, warning signs, and preventive strategies.

Dr. Marty Makary, Associate Professor of Health Policy, Johns Hopkins University and author, Unaccountable: What Hospitals Don’t Tell You and How Transparency Can Revolutionize Healthcare

Dr. Verna Gibbs, Professor of Surgery, University of California-San Francisco, staff surgeon, San Francisco VA Medical Center and Director, No Thing Left Behind

Coleen Smith, High Reliability Initiatives Director, Center for Transforming Healthcare, The Joint Commission

A new study finds that about 80 times per week in the US, errors occur in surgery that experts agree should never happen: operating on the wrong body part or the wrong person, or leaving an instrument or sponge behind in the patient. Experts discuss how these egregious mistakes happen and new efforts to prevent them.

Dr. John Locke, Professor of Linguistics, City University of New York and author, Eavesdropping: An Intimate History

Most people consider eavesdropping to be rude, but one expert explains that the behavior has been vital to survival. Our psychological need to eavesdrop is so pronounced that today we outsource the practice.

Dr. Leslie Martin, Professor of Psychology, La Sierra University and co-author, The Longevity Project

A unique 90-year study has uncovered how personality is one of the most important factors determining lifespan. One of the researchers involved in the study explains their groundbreaking findings.

J.D. and Donna Cain, normal pressure hydrocephalus patient and his wife/caregiver

Dr. Marvin Bergsneider, Professor of Neurosurgery and chief, Adult Hydrocephalus and ICP Disorders Program, UCLA

As many as five percent of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s diseases may in reality have a treatable disorder caused by “water on the brain.” An expert and patient discuss.

Dr. Stuart Vyse, Professor of Psychology, Connecticut College and author, Believing in Magic: thePsychology of Superstition

Dr. Alex Lickerman, author, The Undefeated Mind

Research shows that about half of Americans are superstitious. Studies also show that superstitious rituals may improve performance by boosting confidence. Experts discuss the psychology of superstitions.

Alisa Bowman, author, Project: Happily Ever After and editor, ProjectHappilyEverAfter.com

Dr. Howard Markman, Professor of Psychology, University of Denver and author, Fighting for Your Marriage

Dr. Gary Lewandowski, Professor of Psychology, Monmouth University

Once the domain of pop psychologists, science has now tackled romantic relationships to show the secrets of success.  Experts discuss what research shows couples need to know to maintain their relationship.

Robert Bogdan, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Special Education, Syracuse University

Andy Denhart, Assistant Professor of Journalism, Stetson University, and editor, RealityBlurred.com

Nadja Durbach, Associate Professor of History, University of Utah and author, Spectacle of Deformity: Freak Shows and Modern British Culture

Mark Andrejevic, Associate Professor of Communication Studies, University of Iowa

Societies have attempted to stamp out carnival freak shows, but they always return. Many experts believe reality TV shows are this generation’s incarnation of this phenomenon. Experts discuss the purposes they may serve society, efforts to legitimize such shows and the seemingly irresistible pull they have on many of us.

Joel Wright, Vice President, Health System Operations, Walgreen Co.

Dr. Amy Boutwell, President,  Collaborative Healthcare Strategies and practicing physician, Newton-Wellesley and Massachusetts General Hospitals

All too often, people who’ve been released from the hospital quickly get sick again and need to be readmitted, resulting in wasteful spending. Medicare now financially penalizes hospitals whose readmission rates are above average, so hospitals are embarking on measures to check up on released patients and keep them well. Experts discuss.

Dr. Christopher Starr, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Weill-Cornell Medical Center, New York

Eye exams are looking for a lot more than just eye diseases or how well you see. The eye is the window to the rest of   our body’s health, and many diseases can be spotted there first. An ophthalmologist explains.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of  Health

Dr. William Schaffner, chair, Department of Preventive Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

This flu season is shaping up to longer and worse than usual. Experts discuss influenza and impediments to the development of a “universal” flu vaccine that would protect against all forms of flu for years at a time.

Dr. Larry Dossey, author, The Power of Premonitions: How Knowing the Future Can Shape Our Lives

Research is showing that premonitions may be real, and explainable through quantum physics. A noted expert discusses the research and how premonitions could be exploited to people’s benefit.

Joe Graedon, pharmacologist, and Dr. Teresa Graedon, medical anthropologist, co-founders and co-directors, The People’s Pharmacy and co-authors, Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them

David Ball, spokesman, international Academy of Compounding Pharmacists

Dr. Sarah Sellers, former FDA regulator and President, Q-Vigilance drug safety consultants

Drug contamination from a compounding pharmacy led to dozens of deaths and hundreds of illnesses this fall, calling into question the lack of regulation that could allow such an incident to happen. Experts discuss how compounding is regulated in pharmacies, loopholes that allow drug manufacture in the guise of compounding, and how consumers can protect themselves.

Dr. Jeff Mjaanes, Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Pediatrics and Director, Chicago Sports Concussion Clinic, Rush University Medical Center

Cheerleading, with its pyramids and throws, is the most dangerous school activity that a high school girl can pursue. An expert and study co-author explains changes advocated by the nation’s pediatricians that would reduce catastrophic injuries.

Chris Woodside, Assistant Executive Director for Advocacy and Public Affairs, National Association of Music Education

Dr. Nina Krauss, Director, Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Northwestern University

Dr. Aniruddh Patel, Associate Professor of Psychology, Tufts University

Many schools are slashing music education as “a costly frill” so students can concentrate on the 3 R’s. But new research shows that music education changes the brain. Students who learn a musical instrument are much better learners in all subjects.   Experts explain.

Jeremy Dean, psychologist and author, Making Habits, Breaking Habits: Why We Do Things, Why We Don’t, and How to Make Any Change Stick

The new year is a time for people to stop bad habits and start new, good routines. An expert discusses the psychology of  habits and how people can be more successful in changing their lives for the better.

Heather Sellers, Professor of English, Hope College and author, You Don’t Look Like Anyone I Know

Dr.  Ken Nakayama, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University and lead researcher, Prosopagnosia Research Center

Dr. Brad  Duchaine, Assoc. Prof. of Psychological Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College and researcher, Prosopagnosia Research Center

Many people aren’t good at remembering names or faces. But some people with a rare neurological disorder cannot recognize or remember faces at all, even those of friends, families or spouses. A woman who suffers from this disorder, prosopagnosia, describes its impact, and two researchers explain research into its origins.

Susan Partain, Director, Mental Health First Aid Operations, National Council for Community Behavioral Health Care

Julie Morrison, Supervisor, West Deerfield Township, Lake County, IL

Reverend Brian Roots, Pastor, Christ United Methodist Church, Deerfield, IL

Many people don’t know mental illness when they see it, and most people don’t know what to do if someone they meet is in crisis. A training program for people who work with the public seeks to educate others. Experts explain.

Sarah Allen Benton, mental health counselor and author, Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic

Dr. Kimberly Dennis, Medical Director, Timberline Knolls Treatment Center, Lemont, IL

Many people have a strong stereotype that alcoholics look like someone who’s “hit bottom.” Experts—one who is an   alcoholic herself—explain that some of the most successful people we know may have unseen home lives wrecked by alcohol.

Dr. Wesley Boyd, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, and author, Almost Addicted

People who use drugs, even those who are not addicted, are often destructively enabled by families. An expert explains why this occurs and what families have to do to break through their own denial as well as that of the user.

Dr. William Schaffner, Chair, Department of Preventive Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Dr. Carlos del Rio, Professor of Medicine and Public Health, Emery University

Dr. Frederick Sparling, Professor of Medicine and Microbiology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Doctors have long feared that bacteria may develop resistance to every antibiotic we have. Now gonorrhea may soon present this reality. Some completely resistant cases worldwide are spreading slowly. Experts explain how a return to the pre-  antibiotic era might play out.

Mary Gordon, founder and President, Roots of Empathy

Dr. Kim Schonert-Reichle, Associate Professor of Educational and Counseling Psychology and Special Education, University of British Columbia

Schools have found that bullying is hard to stop. However, an innovative Canadian program that brings babies and their moms into the classroom has had remarkable proven success at lowering aggression. Experts discuss how it works.

Mary R. Morgan, New York psychotherapist and author, Beginning With the End: A Memoir of Twin Loss and Healing

Twins whose “other half” dies unexpectedly may face challenging issues of grief and identity. A well-known psychotherapist, herself a twin, explains these issues through the lens of her own life.

Dr. Andre Fenton, Associate Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center

A scientist working on chemicals that could someday allow selective deletion of bad memories explains how such a development could work, and how it could also lead to chemicals enhancing the brain’s function.

John Poelman, Senior Director and state policy specialist, Leavitt Partners

Dr. Paul Ginsberg, President, Center for Studying Health System Change

Tracy Watts, National Healthcare Reform Leader, Mercer consultants

Many states delayed implementation of provisions of the Affordable Care Act, thinking they might not have to do it at all should a Republican President be elected. Now that President Obama has been reelected, states may have to scramble to set up health insurance exchanges, or accept Federal help. The Supreme Court has also allowed states to refuse Medicaid expansion, a major means to cover the currently uninsured. Experts explain the negotiations that will determine how the law is implemented.

Dr. Daniel Alam, Section Head of Facial, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Cleveland Clinic

When they were first contemplated, doctors feared that face transplant recipients might be psychologically traumatized seeing someone else’s face in the mirror. One of the nation’s pioneering face transplant surgeons discusses why this has not been a major problem, but that other psychological concerns remain important.

“Kim,” new mom

Marsha Walker, registered nurse, lactation consultant, Executive Director, National Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy and board member, Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition

Dr. Lori Feldman-Winter, Professor of Pediatrics, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University and head, adolescent medicine, Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper, Camden, NJ

Dr. Melissa Bartick, Instructor, Harvard Medical School and Cambridge Health Alliance and Chair, Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition

Mardi Mountford, Executive Vice President, International Formula Council

Authorities say breastfeeding newborns for six months is exceptionally important for lifelong health, and many hospitals are ramping up efforts to support breastfeeding. Some hospitals now lock up formula as they do medication and have banned gift bags with formula samples, claiming their distribution is a conflict of interest. But when does support for breastfeeding go too far and set up families for failure when it meets the real world? Experts discuss.

Joe Balzer, airline pilot and author, Flying Drunk

Patrick Smith, airline pilot and author, “Ask the Pilot” on  Salon.com

Aviation didn’t believe in alcoholism treatment before the 1970′s, creating a conspiracy of silence. Now pilots can take advantage of a program with an exceptionally high success rate. An aviation expert and an alcoholic pilot discuss the results.

Stephanie Dunn Haney, lung cancer patient

Dr. Regina Vidaver, Executive Director, National Lung Cancer Partnership

Dr. Bruce Johnson, Director, Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Professor of  Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Dr. James Dougherty, board member and Chairman, Medical Advisory Board, Lung Cancer Research Foundation

Researchers are learning that lung cancer in people who’ve never smoked is often a completely different disease than cancer in smokers. They’ve also made progress against the single mutation causes of these cancers. Experts and a lung cancer patient discuss how new therapies are making cancer manageable for longer periods of time.

Dr. Carolyn Roy-Bornstein, pediatrician and author, Crash: A Mother, A Son, and A Journey From Grief to Gratitude

A doctor discusses her son’s painful road back from being hit by a drunk driver and how traumatic brain injury can be as simple as repeated concussions.

Dr. Randy Frost, Professor of Psychology, Smith College, co-author, Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things

Dr. Gail Steketee, Dean and Professor of Social Work, Boston University, co-author, Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things

Dr. Michael Tompkins, psychologist, San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy and co-author, Digging Out: Helping Your Loved One Manage Clutter, Hoarding and Compulsive Acquiring

Five percent or more of all Americans are hoarders to some degree. They over-acquire things, over-value objects, have trouble throwing things out, and are sometimes disorganized to the point of jeopardizing their safety amid tons of junk in their homes. Experts discuss hoarding’s psychological roots and what family members can do if they believe a loved one is affected.

Eileen Rubin, ARDS patient

Dr. Arvey Stone, pulmonology and critical care specialist

Roberta  Rubin, Eileen Rubin’s mother

An expert and patient explain acute respiratory distress syndrome, a little known, life-threatening disorder that suddenly robs people of their ability to breathe.

Dr. Joan Herbers, Professor of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University and Past President, Association for Women in Science

Dr. Jo Handelsman, Professor of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University

Few female role models exist at major research universities in scientific fields, subverting efforts to get more women into math and science. Many scientists have dismissed gender bias as a factor. However, new research shows that unintentional bias    results in women being subconsciously considered less competent than their male scientific counterparts. Experts explain how unconscious bias exists and its pervasive effect in academia and society at large.

Dr. Elise Feingold, Program Director, Genome Analysis, National Human Genome Research Institute

Dr. Rick Myers, President and Director, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology

Dr. Mike Pazin, Program Director, Functional Genomics, National Human Genome Research Institute

Our genes make up only a few percent of the DNA in each of our body’s cells. Dozens of new studies begin to tell the   role of the rest of our DNA. Experts explain the “switches” that regulate genes, their role in many diseases, and new treatments that may result.

Dr. Katharina Kircanski, post-doctoral fellow in psychology, Stanford University

Halloween is the season for fright, but people with phobias may not be in the mood to enjoy it. New research shows an effective new way to combat phobias–admit out loud what you’re afraid of. Most people are advised to pretend they’re not afraid.     The lead researcher of this study explains why pretending doesn’t work and why this new approach has promise.

Dr. Handel Reynolds, breast radiologist, Piedmont Hospital, Atlanta, and author, The Big Squeeze: A Social and Political History of the Controversial Mammogram

Almost since its inception, mammography screening for women in their 40′s has been controversial. A noted breast radiologist explains the benefits mammography for this population, as well as the often-ignored costs.

Amy Roisum Foley, Professor of Music and Director of Bands, Minnesota State University

Lynne Krayer-Luke, professional flutist and licensed Andover Educator

Dr. George Shybut, Wellington Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Cincinnati and Past President, Performing Arts Medical Association

Julie Daugherty, physical therapist, American Ballet Theater

Professional musicians often suffer from repetitive motion injuries, while dancers suffer athletic injuries. Both often “play hurt,” in part due to fear of losing position or income, or because they are more likely than most professions to have no health insurance. Experts discuss ways performers are recognizing the problem and seeking to treat and prevent workplace injuries.

William Ellis, Executive Director, Board of Pharmacy Specialaties

Medicine is becoming increasingly specialized. Pharmacists are the latest to follow this trend, with some pursuing board  certification in certain specialties. An expert explains reasons for the trend and the difference it may make to patients.

Franklin Zimring, Simon Professor of Law, University of California-Berkeley and author, The City That Became Safe: New York’s Lessons for Urban Crime and Its Control

Dr. Daniel Webster, Professor and Deputy Director, Johns Hopkins Center for the Provention of Youth Violence

Violent crime in the US dropped by 40 percent in the 1990′s, but in New York City, the drop was twice as large and continued through 2010. An expert explains the exportable police strategies that were responsible. Meanwhile, Baltimore has found success at cutting gun violence by employing former gang members to mediate disputes. An expert explains.

Dr. Ann Partridge, Director, Program for Young Women with Breast Cancer, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston

Dr. Virginia Kaklamani, medical oncologist, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago

Not that many years ago, pregnant women diagnosed with breast cancer were often advised to terminate their pregnancies, especially if diagnosed in the first trimester. Oncologists discuss how today they can successfully treat such cancers without jeopardizing the health and development of the fetus.

Dr. Melissa Cinquegrani, therapy dog owner, therapist and post-doctoral fellow, Connections Day School, Libertyville, IL

Ursula Kempe, President, Therapy Dogs International

Psychologists and psychiatrists are finding that especially for children and the elderly, having a friendly dog present for therapy increases its effectiveness. Experts discuss the use of therapy dogs and the qualities that make a certified dog helpful.

Dr. Matthew Rudorfer, Associate Director for Treatment Research, Division of Services and Intervention Research, National Institutes of Mental Health

Dr. Sidney Wolfe, Director, Health Research Group, Public Citizen

Dr. Sarah Lisanby, Professor and Chair of Psychiatry, Duke University

A new treatment for depression called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, or RTMS, uses a moving, high powered magnet. Some critics say it is ineffective for many patients, but supporters say that’s true for most depression treatments.                   Experts discuss .

Dr. Richard Paulson, Professor of Reproductive Medicine, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine

Dr. Mark Sauer, Professor and Chief, Reproductive Endocrinology, Columbia University

Postmenopausal women in their 50′s and even older can become mothers through in-vitro fertilization with donated eggs, and new studies show similar risks as in women 20 years younger. Experts discuss the medical risks and ethical questions  brought about by a technology that appears to allow motherhood with no upper age limit.

Dr. Randi Hutter Epstein, author, Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth from the Garden of Eden to the Sperm Bank

The way each era regards childbirth reveals much about how society considers life, death, and sex. An expert explains.

Dr. Marty Makary, Associate Professor of Health Policy, Johns Hopkins University and author, Unaccountable: What Hospitals Won’t Tell You and How Transparency Can Revolutionize Health Care

Janet Brown, Director of Content and Outreach, Healthier Hospitals Initiative and Director of Facility Engagement, Practice Greenhealth

Dr. Yoan Kagoma, McMaster University

Experts say hospitals and healthcare facilities are generally the second-largest generators of waste and garbage in most cities. Some is due to the vast increase the last 20 years in the use of disposable devices, spurred by infection fears. Experts discuss efforts to return to reusable instruments and novel moves such as the collection of unused anesthesia gases.

Dr. Doug Woods, Professor of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Dr. Martin Franklin, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Univ. of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

CONTACT POINT CITED: Trichotillomania Learning Center, Trich.org

Trichotillomania, or hair-pulling disorder, may affect three percent of people. It can be very hard to treat if not caught early, yet because of stigma, most people affected take great pains to avoid treatment and hide their bald patches. Two of the world’s foremost experts discuss the disorder and new treatments that may help patients.

Dr. Melina Jampolis, physician nutrition specialist and diet/fitness expert, CNN Health Dr. Catherine Davis, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Georgia Health Sciences University

Dr. Eric Storch, Associate Professor of Pediatric Psychiatry and Psychology, University of South Florida

Dr. Dianne Newmark-Sztainer, Prof. of Public Health, University of Minnesota and author, I’m Like, So Fat: Helping Your Teen Make Healthy Choices About Eating and Exercise in a Weight-Obsessed World

Overweight and obese children suffer psychological as well as physical damage. Experts discuss the bullying these   children often endure, the damage and behavior it may produce, how parents may make it even worse, and the best ways to help kids be healthy for life.

Carissa Phelps, author, Runaway Girl: Escaping Life on the Streets, One Helping Hand at a Time

More than two million youth may run away from home each year. More than 100,000 of them are forced into the sex trade each year to survive. One young woman who overcame such a life describes how she beat the odds and what runaways need to have a chance to succeed.

Jim Silver, former federal prosecutor, and Dr. Ronald Schouten, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and Director, Law and Psychiatry Service, Massachusetts General Hospital. They are co-authors, Almost a Psychopath: Do I (Or Someone I Know) Have a Problem with Manipulation and Lack of Empathy

Almost everyone is victimized at some point by a cutthroat co-worker who lies with ease and feels no remorse. These people may be “almost psychopaths,” people with psychopathic characteristics too subtle to be diagnosed. Two experts explain how these people operate and how the rest of us can avoid being played.

Dr. Michael Horberg, Director, HIV/AIDS, Kaiser Permanente; chairman-elect, HIV Medicine Association; and member President’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS

Public health experts are learning ways to lessen disparities in getting HIV-positive people into treatment. Studies now show that retroviral treatment prevents transmission as well as lessens mortality. A nationally known expert explains.

Dr. Jennifer Francis, Research Professor, Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University

Dr. Jonathan Patz, Professor and Director, Global Environmental Health, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Dr. Tracey Holloway, Associate Professor, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison

This summer’s nationwide drought and heat may be something we have to get used to. Climate experts explain why extreme weather of all types may increase in years to come as a result of slowing and stretching of the jet stream. This may result in additional deaths, health stress, and strains to the infrastructure.

Dr. Alexander Blount, Director, Center for Integrated Primary Care and Professor, Family Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School

Dr. Glen Stream, family physician, Spokane, WA and President, American Academy of Family Physicians

Dr. Evan Saulino, family physician, East Portland, OR and board member, Doctors for America

Darcy Gruttadaro, Director, Child and Adolescent Action Center, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Due in part to a shortage of mental health professionals, primary care doctors such as family physicians, internists and pediatricians handle much of the treatment of mental illnesses in the US. Experts discuss whether they are up to the challenge.

Dr. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, cardiologist, UCLA Medical Center and co-author, Zoobiquity: What Animals Can Teach Us About Health and the Science of Healing

Kathryn Bowers, co-author, Zoobiquity

Humans and animals share many diseases, and surprisingly, many behavioral disorders as well. Experts discuss.

John Bowman, Communications Director, National Motorists Assn.

Lt. Garry Megge, Traffic Services Division, Michigan State Police

Dr. David Noyce, Prof. of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Director, Traffic Operations and Safety Laboratory, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison.

Auto crashes kill more than 35,000 people in the US each year, but that toll is down dramatically even as speed limits have been going up. Engineers now realize that artificially slow speed limits can be more dangerous than high speeds. Experts discuss how speed limits should be set and why speed doesn’t necessarily kill.

Dr. Susan Matthews, Founder, Shanti School of Internal Martial Arts and advisory board member, American Tai Chi Assn.

Dr. Keith Jeffrey, founder, EasyTaiChi.com and advisory board member, American Tai Chi Assn.

The slow movements of tai chi and qigong are puzzling to many Westerners, but these Chinese practices have been proven to reduce stress and provide other health benefits. Two experts discuss.

Jim Kutsch, President and CEO, The Seeing Eye

Mike Deathe, certified dog trainer and owner, Kiss Dog Training, Kansas City

Anna Morrison-Ricardati, Founder AMR Law Group, Chicago

Guide dogs and their blind owners are vulnerable as they walk. Experts discuss the increase in attack on guide dogs by pet dogs, the consequences of those attacks, and what might be done to prevent them.

Terry Bering, Executive Director, Center for Addictive Problems (CAP), Chicago and Downers Grove, IL

Fran Buff, CAP counselor

Dr. Danash Alem, Medical Director of Behavioral Services, Central DuPage Hospital, Winfield, IL

Dr. Jeffrey Johnson, Addictions Medical Director, Central DuPage Hospital Behavioral Health Center

Methadone treatment for drug addicts works, but is loaded with stigma that lead communities to fight methadone clinics from coming into town. Even medical personnel often look down on methadone treatment. Experts discuss stigma in drug abuse treatment and the rise of older Americans as the fastest growing group of drug addicts.

Dr. Danash Alem, Medical Director of Behavioral Services, Central DuPage Hospital, Winfield, IL

“Patty,” mother of five, Vicodin addict in recovery

Dr. Jeffrey Johnson, Addictions Medical Director, Central DuPage Hospital Behavioral Health Center

Scientists more fully understand the chemical processes in the brain that result in drug addiction and relapse and are developing new drugs that can treat these imbalances. Some of these treatments can be prescribed in the privacy of a doctor’s office, avoiding the stigma of the previous alternative, methadone. Experts and an addicted mother of five discuss the options.

Joseph Conlon, Technical Advisor, American Mosquito Control Association

Dr. Phillip Baker, Exec. Dir., American Lyme Disease Foundation

Dr. Jamie Weisman, scholar, American Academy of Dermatology and physician, Peachtree Dermatology Associates, Atlanta

Summer vacation can be marred by mosquito and tick bites and by the rash of poison ivy. Home remedies abound on the internet, but do any of them work? What does? Experts discuss the best ways to avoid these problems and get relief.

Bill Schmid, CEO and founder, Halo Innovations safe sleep device developer

Dr. Fern Hauck, Prof. of Family Medicine, Univ. of Virginia and member, American Academy of Pediatrics SIDS task force

Sudden infant death syndrome has decreased by more than 50 percent in the last 20 years, largely thanks to the “Baby on Back” campaign. However, some cultures are resistant to this message. Other infant deaths in bed due to suffocation and  strangulation are increasing. Experts discuss efforts to clear cribs of bedclothes, blankets and bumpers, and lessen infant bedsharing with adults to reduce this toll.

Dr. Mario Beauregard, Assoc. Research Prof. of Neuroscience, Univ. of Montreal and author, Brain Wars: The Scientific Battle Over the Existence of the Mind and the Proof that Will Change the Way We Live Our Lives

Mainstream science holds that thought, belief and emotion can be explained completely by chemical and electrical processes. But a dissident group believes that evidence is piling up for a second form of consciousness which is currently unmeasurable, and which would explain phenomena such as out-of-body and near death experiences. A researcher explains.

Dr. Diana Gruman, Associate Professor of Psychology, Western Washington University

Dr. Frederic Medway, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology, University of South Carolina

Family moves can have devastating lifelong effects on children if they are unprepared or if the move comes at an inopportune time of life. Experts discuss children at risk and ways to make moving easier on them.

Dr. Matthew Mintz, Associate Professor of Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine

Kurt Karst, Director, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara law firm, Washington, DC

The federal government has moved to prevent flexible spending accounts from paying for over the counter drugs, and is exploring taking some prescription drugs to a “behind the counter” non-prescription class. Both moves could save the government and health system money, but would shift drug costs to consumers, since insurance does not pay for non-prescription drugs.

Dr. Jerome Kagan, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Harvard University, and author, The Temperamental Thread

The creation of personality is little understood. It is formed from natural-born temperament plus experience. Here, one of the world’s foremost experts on temperament explains its origins and the extent it can be changed or subverted.

Dr. Joseph Lee, Medical Director, Hazelden Youth Continuum

Dr. Marsha Rosenbaum, Director Emerita, Safety First Project, Drug Policy Alliance

Dr. Marv Seppala, Chief Medical Officer, Hazelden Foundation

Joseph Califano, Founder & Chairman Emeritus, National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, Columbia University and author, How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid: The Straight Dope for Parents

Dr. Robert Wall Emerson, Prof. of Blindness and Low Vision Studies, Western Michigan Univ.

Chris Danielsen, Director of Public Relations, National Federation of the Blind

Lukas Franck, Senior Consultant for Special Projects, The Seeing Eye, Inc.

The federal government is scheduled to rule this month on whether car manufacturers will be required to add artificial car sounds to hybrid and electric cars. Those vehicles are so quiet at low speed that they may endanger pedestrians, especially those with low vision. Experts discuss the unanticipated effects of quiet cars and how various proposed fixes might work.

William Hoffman, Univ. of Minnesota Medical School and co-author, The Stem Cell Dilemma, www.stemcelldilemma.com

Dr. Larry Goldstein, Distinguished Prof. of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Neurosciences and Director, Stem Cell Program, Univ. of California San Diego School of Medicine.

Experts discuss the promise of stem cells in treating diseases ranging from cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, to the repair of spinal cord injuries and severed limbs to even the regeneration of diseased organs. They also discuss whether embryonic                   stem cells will be needed to meet their full potential, or if reprogrammed adult cells will be sufficient.

Dr. Raymond Baxter, Senior Vice President for Community Benefit, Research and Health Policy, Kaiser Permanente

Dr. Marion Nestle, Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health, New York Univ. and co-author, Why Calories Count

Experts are beginning to realize that obesity is not the result of only poor individual choices. Public policy and economics create an environment conducive to too much food and too little exercise. Experts explain examples of how cities build roads rather than sidewalks, schools cut physical education for more classroom time, and federal policy encourages overproduction of food.

Dr. Ramon Franco, Jr., Director, Division of Laryngology, Harvard Medical School

Dr. Susan Miller, Principal, Voice Trainer, Washington, DC

Experts discuss an unusual “voice strangling” disorder and the toxin that can treat it.

Kaitlin Bell Barnett, author, Dosed: The Medication Generation Grows Up

Use of prescription medications for mental disorders among children and adolescents is growing rapidly. An author, herself a Prozac user since age 17, discusses attitudes toward medications revealed in her extensive interviews with dozens of similar subjects.

Ross Koppel, Professor of Sociology, University of Pennsylvania and co-editor, First Do Less Harm: Confronting the Inconvenient Problems of Patient Safety

Suzanne Gordon, Visiting Professor of Nursing, University of Maryland and co-editor, First Do Less Harm

Hospitals have been trying to reduce the estimated 100,000 deaths per year due to medical mistakes, but some experts fear they are relying too much on electronic medical records and other technologies that may not be up to the task yet. Experts discuss technology vs. moving to more of a team effort, similar to the transformation that markedly reduced mistakes in aviation.

Dr. Lubomir Lamy, Assistant Professor of Psychology, South Paris University

Dr. Charles Areni, Professor of Marketing, University of Sydney

Music is known to affect mood. Researchers discuss new discoveries into its “suggestive” effect in relationships and shopping behavior.

Dr. Corey Waller, Director, Center for Integrative Medicine, Spectrum Health Medical Group, Grand Rapids, MI

Dr. Ellen Weber, Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Francisco

Dr. Christopher Michos, Chairman, Emergency Department, Waterbury Hospital, Waterbury, CT

Dr. Maria Raven, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Francisco

Studies show that a small proportion of emergency room users come back over and over again for maladies that aren’t really best suited for the ER, such as addictions, pain, and psychiatric disorders. Several pilot programs show that using social workers and other followup can begin to cure these ailments, saving money and keeping these patients well.

Amy Boesky, Associate Professor of English, Boston College and author, What We Have: One Family’s Inspiring Story About Love, Loss, and Survival

How do people live life when they’re convinced by family history that they are going to get cancer? Here is one woman’s experience with “living on borrowed time” and the drastic preventive measures produced by cancer fear.

Dr. Rhea Haugseth, President, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

Dr. Travis Nelson, Acting Assistant Professor of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Washington

Amy Hazlewood, registered dental hygienist, South Bend, IN

Children have experienced less and less tooth decay over the past two generations, but lately, toddlers in lower income groups have experienced a sharp increase in cavities. Some children show up in dental offices with severe problems even     requiring hospitalization. Experts discuss the reasons for this trend and what parents should be doing to avoid it.

Jonah Lehrer, contributing editor, “Wired,” author, “Head Case” in Wall Street Journal and author, How We Decide

Most people believe that purely rational decisions are best. However, scientists have discovered that without emotion, decision making is impossible. A science journalist discusses the findings and implications.

Dr. Art Caplan, Director, Division of Bioethics, New York University and Langone Medical Center

Jeff  Rowes, Senior Attorney, Institute for Justice

Shaka Mitchell, President, MoreMarrowDonors.org

Michael Boo, Chief Strategy  Officer, National Marrow Donor Program

Federal law prohibits payment for most transplanted organs. But a number of groups, seeking more donors, have won a federal court ruling allowing payment to bone marrow donors. Experts discuss the ethical and practical issues, and whether the ruling may create a “slippery slope” where the rich get organs and the poor might be exploited.

Dave Pavesic, Professor of Hospitality Administration, Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality, Georgia State University

George Rapp, menu consultant

Phil Vettel, restaurant critic, Chicago Tribune

Psychology is extremely important in the restaurant business. Experts discuss how menu engineers steer diners’  decision-making process toward more profitable or specialty menu items, and how going too far to shape preferences can be risky.

Aaron Likens, author, Finding Kansas: Living and Decoding Asperger’s Syndrome

Most people don’t understand Asperger’s Syndrome, which affects high functioning people with autism. Most of those with the syndrome can’t express what their lives are like, but here, one person with the syndrome articulates his unusual world.

Dr. Beth Hodges, fibromyalgia specialist, Asheboro, NC

Penny Cowan, fibromyalgia sufferer and founder and CEO, American Chronic Pain Association

Fibromyalgia is widespread pain that doesn’t show up on any test, so sufferers are often told their pain is all in their heads. An expert physician and a longtime sufferer describe the syndrome and the steps that can lead to diagnosis and successful relief.

Dr. Joel Fay, former police officer and President, First Responder Support Network and West Coast Post Trauma Retreat

Rodger Ruge, former police officer and founder, HeroTalk

Dr. Michelle Lilly, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Northern Illinois University

Heather Pierce, former 911 dispatcher and Research Associate, Northern Illinois University

Dr. John Mason, founder, Stress Education Center, Oak Harbor, WA and author, The Guide to Stress Reduction

Police officers, firefighters, paramedics and emergency dispatchers experience events that most people couldn’t stand, and they pay for it with high levels of stress-related outcomes and PTSD. Experts describe the relative lack of training received by first responders, the type of training the need, and the police/fire culture that makes it difficult to get help.

Major league baseball has cracked down on use of performance enhancing drugs, but the minor league experience  shows enforcement doesn’t end their use. A minor league player and strength coach discuss roadblocks to “staying straight.”

Tyler Blaser, catcher, Tampa Yankees minor league team

Jay Signorelli, Tampa Yankees strength and conditioning coach.

Several influential medical groups are focusing on the fee-for-service payment system as a major source of unnecessary care and cost in the US  medical system. Experts discuss how this payment system incentivizes extra treatment and  the steps they’d like to see to cut back on it.

Dr. Ann O’Malley, Senior Researcher, Center for Studying Health System Change

Dr. Brenda Sirovich, staff physician and research associate, VA Medical Center, White River, VT and Associate Professor of Medicine and Community and Family Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School and Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice

Dr. Christine Cassel, President and CEO, American Board of Internal Medicine and ABIM Foundation

Researchers have documented specific mental changes among many women who have just given birth. Experts speculate that through evolution, traits important to raising a child have become biologically accentuated at the expense of others.

Hannah Keeley, “momnesia” sufferer and creator, HannahKeeley.com

Dr. Craig Kinsley, Professor of  Neuroscience, University of Richmond

Adrienne Hedger, co-author, Momnesia

The EPA has rejected a petition to ban the widely-used weedkiller 2,4-D, yet environmental groups continue to claim that  it is harmful to health for a variety of reasons. Experts on each side review safety claims.

Dr. Gina Soloman, Senior Scientist, Natural Resources Defense Council and Clinical Professor of medicine, University of California San Francisco

Jim Gray, Executive Director, Industry Task Force Two on 2,4-D Research Data

The legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act has centered on the “individual mandate” requiring many people to buy health insurance. Experts discuss the likely effects of the mandate and what may happen if the US Supreme Court invalidates this part of the law but lets the rest of the law stand.

Dr. Gerald Kominski, Director, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research

Paul Fronstin, Director, Health Research Program, Employee Benefit Research Institute

A mother’s controversial Vogue magazine article describes how she put her seven-year old daughter on an extremely strict diet and publicly shamed her to shape up. A noted child nutrition expert explains how such a tough love approach is likely to backfire, creating an unhealthy lifelong relationship with food.

Jill Castle, registered dietician and author, JustTheRightByte.com  and the book, Fearless Feeding: How to Raise Health Eaters from High Chair to high School

Discrimination due to pregnancy has been illegal since the 1970′s, yet it’s still a common occurence. Experts discuss the many pretexts employers use to fire pregnant women and the steps women need to take to combat it.

Sarah Crawford, Director, Workplace Fairness, National Partnership for Women and Families

Jamie Dolkas, staff attorney, Equal Rights Advocates

Joan Williams, Distinguished Professor of Law and Founding Director, Center for Worklife Law, Hastings College of the Law, University of California

Most people who have a drinking problem are not alcoholics, so they may slip through the cracks and not receive the help then need. Experts discuss warning signs and ways to break through denial.

Dr. Robert Doyle, clinical psychiatrist, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School

Dr. Joe Nowinski, clinical psychologist and co-author, Almost Alcoholic: Is My (or My Loved One’s) Drinking a Problem

Brain scans are increasingly being used in court to bolster claims that psychopathic criminals cannot help themselves.  Experts discuss what scans really show and how juries and the court system are dealing with this new evidence.

Dr. Kent Kiehl, Associate Professor of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of New Mexico and Director, Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Mind Research Network

Michael Haederle, Contributing Editor, Pacific Standard Magazine

Dr. Stephen Morse, Professor of Law and Professor of Psychology and Law in Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania

Deborah Denno, Professor of Law, Fordham University

Nearly half of married working women outearn their husbands, and the trend is likely to accelerate with women making up 60 percent of college students. A journalist examines the trend and what it means for families and life at home.

Liza Mundy, reporter, Washington Post, Fellow, New American Foundation, and author, The Richer Sex: How the New Majority of Female Breadwinners is Transforming Sex, Love, and Family

Synesthesia, a brain condition where people’s senses are intertwined, is much more common than previously imagined. People afflicted with this genetic condition may “see” sounds, “taste” visual information or have other neurological confusion.

Dr. Richard Cytowic, Professor of Neurology, George Washington University and co-author, Wednesday is Indigo Blue: Discovering the Brain of Synesthesia

Most overweight people can lose at least some weight, but few keep it off for long. Experts discuss research showing how the body and brain change after weight loss to regain weight and stave off what it thinks is starvation, and how this problem is the real secret to ending the obesity epidemic.

Dr. Joseph Proietto, Professor of Medicine, University of Melbourne (Australia)

Dr. Michael Rosenbaum, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Clinical Medicine, Columbia University and New York Presbyterian Hospital

Dr. Tim Frayling, Research Scientist, University of Exeter (UK)

The National Institutes of Health has recommended that all grade school children be screened for high cholesterol to   prevent heart attacks later in life. However, some other expert agencies say that screening, presumably with treatment for children with high cholesterol, carries too much risk for a small benefit. Experts and the father of a high risk toddler discuss the issue.

Dr. Samuel S. Gidding, Head, Cardiac Division, Nemours Cardiac Center, A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, and member, NIH guideline task force

Sean Thompson, father of child with extremely high cholesterol

Dr. Michael Lefevre, Professor of Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia

Only about half of people who need a bone marrow transplant to fight blood cancer are able to find a match. Many more tissue types are needed in registries to help the others. Now a consumer health products company has come up with an ingenious       way to get people to sign up for bone marrow registries without much effort.

Katharina Harf, Chief Operating Officer, DKMS bone marrow registry

Richard Fine, founder and CEO, Help Remedies

Many people who technically speak English well—even native born Americans—sometimes speak with accents that   leave them unable to be understood. Experts discuss speech training that can lessen the difficulty.

Judy Ravin, President, Accent Reduction Institute

Dr. Mary Louise Edwards, Professor of Communication Science and Disorders, Syracuse University

Homelessness has affected 3.5 million Americans at some point in the past year, and with their increased numbers and visibility, many cities have criminalized functions that the homeless often find unavoidable, such as sleeping or camping outdoors.  Experts discuss the effects on city budgets and the homeless themselves.

Steve Watters, Executive Director, Safeground Sacramento

Clifton Harris, Executive Director, Metropolitan Homeless Commission, Nashville, TN

Heather Johnson, Civil Rights Attorney, National Center on Homelessness and Poverty

Names have a psychology that’s unknown to most people. A naming expert discusses the hidden power of names.

Maryanna Korwitts, founder, TheNamingExperience.com

Autism spectrum disorders are being redefined by the psychiatric profession, and many parents and activists are worried that the new definition will exclude many children who previously would have received necessary educational services. Experts, including one of the members of the panel creating the definition, discuss the issue.

Dr. Brian Reichow, Associate Research Scientist, Yale Child Study Center

Dr. Catherine Lord, Director, Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center-Columbia University and member, Neurodevelopmental Disorders Committee, DSM-5/APA

Dr. James Ball, Executive Chair, National Autism Society

Being unable to prevent their child from succumbing to drugs and crime may be a parent’s worst nightmare. One parent who ignored his son’s warning signs reflects on his more than 10 year struggle with addiction and what it can teach other parents.

David Sheff, parent of drug addict and author, Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction

Liver transplant centers usually demand that transplant candidates with alcoholic liver disease be sober for six months before surgery to assure doctors that they will abstain from alcohol. However, some candidates won’t survive long enough to wait. One of the nation’s top transplant expert discusses a recent study, which indicates that intense scrutiny of a candidate’s support and commitment may allow a small number to safely proceed without risk of wasting rare organs.

Dr. Michael Porayko, Professor of Medicine and Medical Director of Liver Transplantation, Vanderbilt University

Millions of pharmacy customers have had to move prescriptions from Walgreens to other pharmacies after its contract ran out with a major pharmacy benefits manager, Express Scripts. The situation is unprecedented in the US, but some experts believe it’s only the first battle in a cost-based conflict between benefits managers and retail pharmacies. Representatives of each side and a longtime industry observer discuss causes and impacts of the struggle.

Virginia Greathouse, former Walgreen pharmacy customer

Brian Henry, Senior Director of Public Affairs, Express Scripts, Inc.

Kermit Crawford, President of Pharmacy, Health and Wellness, Walgreen Co.

Rob Eder, Editor in Chief, Drug Store News Group

Infants who suffer damage to hair cells in the inner ear have had to receive hearing aids or cochlear implants or face loss of language skills. Now scientists are testing the use of stem cells from cord blood to regenerate hair cells and restore hearing.

Dr. Samer Fakhri, Associate Professor and Program Director, University of Texas Health Science Center and Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital

Laura McGrath, mother of child in cord blood clinical trial

About 70-80 percent of antibiotics used in the US are given to healthy livestock. The FDA has wanted to end the practice for more than 30 years to reduce antibiotic resistance in people, but recent agency actions make some activists wonder if they’re committed only to baby steps. Experts discuss pro’s and con’s of antibiotic use and the FDA’s new strategy to control it.

Avinash Kar, attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council

Sarah Klein, staff attorney, Food Safety Program, Center for Science in the Public Interest

Dr. Scott Hurd, Associate Professor of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University and former Deputy Undersecretary for Food Safety, USDA

Michael Taylor, Deputy Commissioner for Foods, FDA

Kidney stones are very common and can produce excruciating pain. An expert discusses types of kidney stones, causes of each, treatment, and prevention.

Dr. Irvin Bonder, attending urologist, St. Clare’s Hospital, Denville, NJ

Back pain hits 80 percent of Americans at some point in their lives. An expert discusses why it can be so hard to diagnose and treat.

Dr. Steven Stanos, Director, Center for Pain Management, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

Running season is approaching, and many runners may be wondering whether they should adopt the newest trend—“minimalist” shoes with no elevated heel, or even hardly any sole at all. Some runners are even exploring going barefoot. A number of experts discuss the risks and possible benefits of changing shoes or getting rid of them completely.

Dr. Beno Nigg, Professor of Biomechanics and Co-Director, Human Performance Laboratory, University of Calgary

Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, Professor of Family Medicine, West Virginia Universeity, marathon runner and proprietor of running shoe store

Dr. Mike Oster, podiatric clinician, Scholl Foot and Ankle Center, Rosalind-Franklin University

Traumatic brain injury can dramatically change spousal relationships, as the injured may lose the ability to read the emotions of themselves and others, or may suffer a personality change. These relationship issues are often ignored in the rehabilitation process. However, the divorce rate of these couples is much less than previously believed. Experts discuss  developing methods to help people with TBIs relearn important social skills.

Rosemary Rawlins, wife of TBI patient and author, Learning By Accident

Dr. Jeffrey Kreutzer, Professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University

Dr. Dawn Neumann, Assistant Research Professor, Indiana University School of Medicine and Clinical Research Associate, Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana

Four years ago this week, a former mental patient shot five students to death and wounded 18 at Northern Illinois University. Now an investigative journalist has pieced together the most complete portrait ever of a school shooter. The writer discusses the lessons that can be learned from this psychological profile.

David Vann, Associate Professor of Writing, University of San Francisco and author, Last Day on Earth: A Portrait of the NIU School Shooter

Incessant verbal abuse by a significant other can take a huge toll in misery. Abusers may be psychologically compensating for verbal, emotional, or sexual abuse they themselves received in childhood. Bosses are also significant abusers of subordinates, though for different reasons. Experts discuss the consequences of verbal abuse, the hidden reasons it may occur, and what victims can do to make it stop.

Patricia Evans (verbalabuse.com), author, Victory Over Verbal Abuse and five other books

Dr. Meredith Ferguson, Assistant Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship, Hankamer School of Business, Baylor University

High blood pressure, or hypertension, can be lethal, and 25 percent of the US population is affected. An expert discusses how and why high blood pressure exacts such a toll on the body, why it can be so difficult to treat, and a new device under clinical trial that may treat stubborn high blood pressure effectively.

Dr. Suzanne Oparil, Professor of Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics, University of Alabama at Birmingham and Past President, American Heart Association

Prospective employers can detect when a person carries justifiable pride and are attracted to them. An expert discusses research on instilling pride, even when times are hard.

Lisa Williams, Lecturer in Social Psychology, University of New South Wales, Australia

Dermatologists have long advocated protecting our skin from UV rays, whether from the sun or from indoor tanning. Yet with sun protection comes an increase in deficiencies of vitamin D, which is made by the skin in response to sun exposure. Is there any middle ground? Experts discuss the conflict.

Dr. Michael Holick, Professor of Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics, Director, General Clinical Research Unit and Director, Bone Health Care Clinic, Boston University, and author, The Vitamin D Solution

Dr. Susan Mayne, Professor of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health and Associate Director, Yale Cancer Center

Dr. Bryon Adinoff, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the VA North Texas Health Care System

A common cause of hip arthritis and replacement is a misalignment of the joint dating from infancy or childhood. It can even result from improper swaddling. An expert discusses causes and treatments.

Dr. Chad Price, pediatric orthopedist, Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital and Medical Director, International Hip Dysplasia Institute

Christina, mother of hip dysplasia patient

Allergies among children have increased markedly in recent years, sometimes prompting bans of specific foods at schools. Experts explain the importance of school action, what parents can do to keep their children safe, and the research under way to find why allergies are increasing.

Dr. Ruchi Gupta, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University

Maria Aceball, CEO, Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network

Stacey Keane, mother of allergic child

Food Allergy Initiative

A majority of Alzheimer’s disease patients will experience wandering behavior. Yet many families and caregivers have no plan to prevent wandering or find their loved one when they get lost. Experts discuss wandering and how to deal with it.

Beth Kallmyer, Senior Director, Constituent Services, Alzheimer’s Association

Dr. Michael Raffi, Director, Memory Disorders Clinic and Assistant Professor of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego

As the number of vaccinations recommended for children continues to rise, the number of children who have not received all of them is also increasing. Public health experts discuss the impact of vaccine refusal on community health, and a mom who has kept her children away from some immunizations discusses her objections to the vaccination schedule.

Dr. William Schaffner, Chairman, Preventive Medicine, Vanderbilt Medical Center

Dr. Saad Omer, Assistant Professor of Global Health, Epidemiology and Pediatrics, Emery University

Jennifer Margulis, Senior Fellow, Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism, Brandeis University and mother of four

Many people who might be candidates for weight loss surgery shy away because of misperceptions. A former NFL lineman who has had weight loss surgery and a bariatric surgeon discuss overcoming these myths.

Jamie Dukes, analyst, NFL network, and weight loss surgery patient

Dr. Brian Lahmann, bariatric surgeon, BMI Surgery, Chicago

Low income women have a much higher rate of unintentional pregnancy than those with higher incomes. Experts explain some of the reasons and the serious consequences, both for families and for the nation, in its poverty rate and workforce composition.

Dr. Lawrence Finer, Director of Domestic Research, Guttmacher Institute

Dr. Victoria Jennings, Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Director, Institute for Reproductive Health, Georgetown University

Crises in health insurance–and reform efforts to combat them–are nothing new. A noted expert in the politics and history of health reform discusses what we can learn from past proposals and the reasons for their defeat.

Dr. Paul Starr, Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs, Princeton University and author, Remedy and Reaction: The Peculiar American Struggle Over Healthcare Reform

Employers, fearing they can pass along no more health care cost to workers, are searching for alternatives to reduce costs. One new trend is to offer cash and other incentives to get employees to participate in wellness programs. Increasingly, companies are also imposing penalties if workers fail to participate.

LuAnn Heinen, Vice President, National Business Group on Health

Shelly Wolff, North American Health and Productivity Leader, Towers Watson human resources consulting firm

An author describes her sister’s recovery from schizophrenia after locking herself in her room for more than 30 years.

Margaret Hawkins, author, After Schizophrenia: My Sister’s Reawakening After 30 Years

Researchers are finding that being tied up in a traffic jam has cumulative stress and health effects. Experts discuss  methods people can use to ease their commuting stress, and what steps government might take to best ease traffic congestion.

Tim Lomax, research engineer, Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University

Alan Pisarski, travel behavior, public policy consultant and author, Commuting in America

Dr. David Wiesenthal, Professor of Psychology, York University

Dr. Dwight Hennessy, Associate Professor of Psychology, Buffalo State College

Children are especially susceptible to the flu and are major vectors in giving the virus to others. Experts discuss means of avoiding flu misery and new safety changes to acetaminaphen-based pain relievers for children.

Dr. Jim Sears, pediatrician and co-host, “The Doctors” TV show

Linda Davis-Alldritt, President, National Association of School Nurses

Researchers have found that heart deaths rise starting at Thanksgiving to peaks on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.  Experts discuss possible reasons and how people may be able to lessen their risk.

Dr. Robert Kloner, University of Southern California and Director of Research, Heart Institute, Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles

Dr. Keith Churchwell, Executive Director & Chief Medical Officer, Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute

Miltonette Craig, heart arrythmia patient

Dr. Randy Lieberman, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Michigan State University

Dr. Mark Estes, Professor of Medicine, Tufts University and Past President, Heart Rhythm Society

Compulsive overshoppers often are seeking to compensate for some unfilled internal need. An expert discusses these reasons and how people can learn to overcome compulsive shopping.

Dr. April Lane Benson, psychologist, founder, StoppingOvershopping.com and author, To Buy Or Not To Buy: Why We Overshop and How To Stop

Recently, doctors have occasionally alerted child welfare officials about the extreme obesity of children to have them taken out of the family home under child abuse or neglect laws. Some doctors say the action is meant to save lives; others say it’s a drastic, traumatic action with no proof of effectiveness. Experts discuss both sides.

Dr. Norman Foss, Professor of Pediatrics and Director, Medical Ethics Program, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Jill Castle, registered dietitian and blogger, JustTheRightByte.com

Dr. David Orentlicher, Samuel Rosen Professor of Law, Adjunct Professor of Medicine and Co-Director, Center for Law and Health, Indiana University

What we see is not dependent solely on the eyes. We rely on the brain to make sense of the various components of  visual information. A world-renowned expert discusses some of the unusual ways sight can go wrong when connections go awry.

Dr. Oliver Sacks, Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry, Columbia University, and author of 10 books including Awakenings, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, and The Mind’s Eye

Graduated driver’s license (GDL) programs now in force in every state are proven to reduce crashes among 16-year old  drivers.   However, new research shows that when GDLs are instituted, crashes among 18-year old drivers increase. Experts discuss possible explanations and solutions.

Dr. Scott Masten, researcher, California Department of Motor Vehicles

Dr. Robert Foss, Director, Center for the Study of Young Drivers, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Dr. Anne McCartt, Senior Vice President for Research, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Forty years ago, few women practiced medicine. Today, women make up about 50 percent of new doctors. At the same time, the practice of medicine has changed to one that listens better to the patient. Experts discuss how they hope to train all doctors to work in this style, and whether women are generally better at this style of practice as a result of cultural upbringing.

Robert Kreisman, Chicago malpractice attorney

Dr. Carol Aschenbrener, Executive Vice President, Association of American Medical Colleges

Dr. Klea Bertakis, Professor and Chair, Department of Family-Community Medicine, Universisty of California-Davis

Dr. Holly Humphrey, Dean for Medical Education, University of Chicago

Researchers are moving forward toward an effective HIV vaccine. With World AIDS Day this week on December 1, vaccine researchers give a progress report on where scientists stand, how soon a vaccine might be a reality, and how it might be used.

Chuck Panozzo, HIV-positive member Styx rock band

Dr. James Kublin, Executive Director, HIV Vaccine Trials Network

Dr. Harriet Robinson, Chief Scientific Officer, GeoVax Labs

People who undergo cancer treatment are not generally offered the same kind of physical rehabilitation given to others who suffer injuries and illnesses. A leader in the new field of cancer rehabilitation explains how it could improve outcomes and  quality of life after cancer.

Dr. Julie Silver, Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard medical School and founder, Oncology Rehab Partners

Screening for prostate specific antigen, or PSA, has been used for 25 years to indicate elevated prostate cancer risk.  Now an influential governmental panel recommends healthy men not be screened because the test results in risky, debilitating                   treatments for cancers that would never be a danger. Many urologists who treat prostate cancer disagree. Experts discuss.

Dr. Phillippa Cheatham, urologist, Columbia University Medical Center

Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, American Cancer Society

Dr. Arnold Melman, Professor and Chairman, Department of Urology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and author, After Prostate Cancer

Many school buildings have environmental problems that detract from education and even safety. These problems go beyond brick and mortar, and even security, and require innovative solutions discussed by one of the nation’s top experts.

Dr. Howard Frumkin, Dean, School of Public Health and Professor of Environmental and Occupational health Sciences, University of Washington and co-editor, Safe and Healthy School Environments

Parents can often find no safe place for children with disabilities to be included in play. Here is the story of how one mom became an advocate and led a community YMCA to build the nation’s first disabled-accessible water slide.

Amy Armstrong, disability advocate and mother

Ed Scopel and Ryan Hinz, Ratio Architects, Champaign, IL

Jean Driscoll, wheelchair athlete and disability advocate

Medical mistakes may be far more common than we think. An expert team of medical consumer advocates discusses  what patients can do to protect themselves.

Joe Graedon and Dr. Teresa Graedon, authors, Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them

Doctors say frivolous malpractice suits are a major issue in driving up medical cost. Many doctors believe they’re too often victimized by unethical “expert witnesses” who testify incompletely or untruthfully. Experts discuss why the justice system  is relatively blind to erroneous medical testimony and the efforts that states and doctors are taking to get rid of it.

Dr. Louise B. Andrew, emergency physician and attorney, MDMentor.com

Dr. Bob Patton, nephrologist and attorney, MediateNow.biz

Dr. Jeffrey Segal, neurological surgeon and CEO, MedicalJustice.com

A survey by the South Florida Sun Sentinel shows that some obstetrician-gynecologists are refusing to accept overweight women as new patients, claiming their equipment can’t fit them or there is too much risk. Experts discuss the greater need for health care among the obese, the ramifications of this refusal should it become widespread, and whether doctors’ claims are legitimate.

Dr. Anna Riesman, Associate Professor of Medicine, Yale University

Dr. Steven Ralston, Associate Professor of  Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tufts University and Chair, Committee on Ethics, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Psychologists are reporting an increase in depression among men. The job loss of the recession has hit men hard, yet men are culturally expected to refrain from expression the resulting emotions. Experts explain how changing employment and gender roles are a recipe for poor mental and physical health which may continue for decades.

Dr. Boadie Dunlop, Director, Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University

Dr. Jim O’Neil, Professor of Psychology and Family Studies, University of Connecticut

Dr. Donald N.S. Unger, Lecturer, Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and author, Men Can: The Changing Image and Reality of Fatherhood in America

Jim Graham, stay-at-home dad

Many families face difficult decisions about life-sustaining treatment because a loved one did not fill out end of life orders, their orders are unavailable or not complete enough. Experts discuss new forms of orders and registries that are easily accessible and legally must be followed. These orders may also save money, a rationale for curtailing treatment which has surprising public support.

Dr. Alvin Moss, Professor of Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine and Director, West Virginia Center for End of Life Care

David Paleologos, Director, Suffolk University Political Research Center

An expert explains one of the first thorough studies into how and why college students binge drink. The results suggest that binging will be hard to curb, but that colleges can tap into student habits to reduce the harm that comes from binge drinking.

Dr. Thomas Vander Ven, Associate Professor of Sociology and Criminology, Ohio Univ. and author, Getting Wasted: Why College Students Drink Too Much and Party So Hard

Our health is an area full of myths and old wives’ tales. Journalist Anahad O’Connor discusses his investigation of which ones are true, which ones are false, and the harm that may come to us if we follow some of them.

Anahad O’Connor, author, Never Shower in a Thunderstorm: Surprising Facts and Misleading Myths About Our Health and the World We Live In

“Helicopter parents” who hover over and intervene in everything their children do, have become common. New research is showing that when overparented children go to college and have to survive on their own, they’re often unable to do so. Experts  discuss how overparenting is creating dependence in children and how parents might start backing off.

Lenore Skenazy, author of book and blog, Free Range Kids

Dr. Neil Montgomery, Professor of Psychology, Keene State College

Carl Honore, author, Under Pressure: Rescuing Our Children From the Culture of Hyper-Parenting and In Praise of Slowness: How a Worldwide Movement is Challenging the Cult of Speed

Electronic cigarettes, which dispense vaporized nicotine but none of the other toxic chemicals in cigarette smoke, may be a promising way to get people to quit smoking. Despite this, some anti-smoking advocates oppose their use. Experts on both sides discuss pro’s and con’s of e-cigarettes.

Dr. Josh Bloom, Director, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, American Council on Science and  Health

Dr. Michael Siegel, Professor of Public Health, Boston University

Matthew Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

The sexual revolution of the 1960′s wasn’t just about sex. It was about women’s place in the world. A noted expert discusses how the battle is still under way in many of the nation’s hot-button social issues, including  sex education in schools.

Dr. Kristin Luker, Professor of Sociology and Law, University of California, Berkeley and author, When Sex Goes to School

About one percent of Americans follow a vegan diet. An expert discusses how eliminating animal products from the diet is not as hard as many people think it is.

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, author, The 30-Day Vegan Challenge

Seniors are often unhappily housed in expensive nursing homes and assisted living centers when they really don’t need that much care. A physician participating in a new approach discusses its mixture of technology and volunteerism, resulting in savings of up to 90 percent and seniors who are often happy to stay in their own homes.

Dr. Allan Teel, family physician and author, Alone and Invisible No More: How Grassroots Community Action and 21st Century Technologies Can Empower Elders to Stay in Their Homes and Lead Healthier, Happier Lives

Eating disorders are widespread among teenage girls, but those disorders do not disappear as women age. Women get  better at hiding them. An expert and former bulimic discusses psychological causes and treatment.

Joanna Poppink, psychotherapist and author, Healing Your Hungry Heart: Recovering From Your Eating Disorder

A small proportion of primary care doctors are responding to economic stress by turning their practices into “boutique” or “concierge” offices serving only patients who pay a monthly retainer for 24/7 access and immediate, more lengthy appointments. Experts discuss the causes and consequences, such as a deepening two-tier medical system.

Wayne Lipton, Managing Partner, Concierge Choice Physicians

Devon Herrick, Senior Fellow, National Center for Policy Analysis

Matt Jacobson, Founder & CEO, Signature MD

Studies show that in good times, “level headed” leaders do well. However, one leading expert on mood disorders explains that in times of war and crisis, leaders such as Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt and M.L. King, who led utilizing traits of mental illness, may be more effective.

Dr. Nassir Ghaemi, Professor of Psychiatry and Director, Mood Disorders Program, Tufts University, and author, A First Rate Madness

For very short children, especially boys, long term effects are impossible to avoid. Experts detail these effects, which are not always bad. They also discuss the pro’s and con’s of growth hormone therapy, which affects more than just stature.

Stephen Hall, author, Size Matters: How Height Affects the Health, Happiness, and Success of Boys and the Men They Become

Dr. Brian Stabler, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Dr. David  Sandberg, Professor of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan

Virtually everyone remembers where they were on 9/11. Here is the story of a prominent American hypnotherapist who was in Baghdad that day to treat Saddam Hussein’s son. He describes the Iraqi reaction, both in the streets and the palace.

Larry Garrett, hypnotherapist and author, Healing the Enemy: Hypnotic Nights in Baghdad

The attacks of September 11, 2001, shattered Americans’ image of themselves as safe and secure and replaced it with fears of vulnerability. Experts discuss how our emotions and psychological adjustment have progressed since then.

Dr. Michael Brodsky, Medical Director, Bridges to Recovery, Pacific Palisades, CA

Dr. Clark McCauley, Professor of Psychology, Bryn Mawr College

Dr. Baruch Fishhoff, psychologist and decision scientist, Carnegie Mellon University

Dr. Robert Epstein, Founder and Director Emeritus, Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies and former Editor in Chief, Psychology Today magazine

Scientists are learning that there are vast brain differences between men and women, reflected in their differing  strengths and brain diseases. Experts discuss the impact as gender-specific medicines and educational techniques are developed.

Dr. Larry Cahill, Professor of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California-Irvine

Dr. Ann Moir, founder, Brainsex Matters, and co-author, Brain Sex: The Real Difference Between Men and Women

Why do people sometimes wait for years to get their revenge after being wronged? Experts discuss how revenge is a  tactic once needed for survival that has become built into the human psyche.

Dr. Brad Bushman, Professor of Mass Communication, Ohio State University

Dr. James Fowler, Professor of  Medical Genetics & Political Science, University of California San Diego

Laura Blumenfeld, National Correspondent, Washington Post and author, Revenge: A Story of Hope

Patients often keep lifestyle secrets from their physicians even though it may be harmful to their health. Experts discuss  the most common reasons for secret-keeping and the consequences that may result.

Dr. Daphne Miller, family physician, San Francisco

Karen Giblin, President, Red Hot Mamas menopause management program

Since the FDA allowed health-related label claims on foods about 20 years ago, they’ve become common. Yet surveys show that while consumers believe they know a lot about what foods they should eat, they still find barriers to their purchase. Experts discuss the true depth of consumer knowledge, misconceptions about label claims, and what consumers can actually expect from functional foods.

Elizabeth Rahavi, RD, Associate Director for Health and Wellness, International Food Information Council

Dr. Marian Nestle, Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health, New York University and author, Food Politics and What to Eat

Dr. Roger Clemens, Professor of Pharmacy, University of Southern California and incoming president, Institute of Food Technologists

After 10 years of planning, researchers have begun recruitment for the National Children’s Study, an exhaustive study of children from conception to age 21. It hopes to check out environmental and other health factors more thoroughly than any                   previous work.

Dr. Calvin Hobel, Professor of Pediatrics and Obstetrics & Gynecology, UCLA, Chair of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Lead Investigator, National Children’s Study

Patient non-compliance is a huge medical problem causing more than 100,000 deaths each year. Experts discuss the many reasons patients avoid or forget to take their medicine, efforts to predict who will not be compliant, and ways we might achieve better compliance.

Rebecca Burkholder, Vice President of Health Policy, National Consumer’s League

Dr. Allan Showalter, Director, AlignMap

Todd Steffes, Vice President of health Care Practice, FICO

Diabetes is increasing rapidly. Many experts blame obesity. But one author/investigator believes obesity cannot explain everything. He discusses alternative theories that may have combined into a perfect storm to cause the diabetes explosion.

Dan Hurley, medical writer, New York Times and author, Diabetes Rising: How a Rare Disease Became a Modern Pandemic and What to Do About It

Some experts believe if teens are exposed to wine at dinner with parents, as is common in Europe, it will lessen the chance they will binge drink away from home. Experts examine this theory, and explain how alcohol reacts differently in the adolescent brain.

Dr. Stanton Peele, author, Addiction-Proof Your Child and Seven Tools to Beat Addiction

Dr. Scott Swartzwelder, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University and co-author, Just Say Know: Talking With Kids About Drugs and Alcohol

Dr. David Rosenbloom, Professor of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health

Infidelity is present in every species and in every human society. Experts discuss gender differences in the reasons infidelity occurs, the genetic factors behind it, and the actions people may take when it is suspected.

Dr. Helen Fisher, biological anthropologist, Rutgers University and author, Why Him? Why Her?

Ruth  Houston, founder, InfidelityAdvice.com and author, Is He Cheating On You? 829 Telltale Signs

Many hospitals across the US are in trouble. Four years ago, UCLA Hospitals were in the same situation, and few people reccomended that others go there. Today, the hospital gets ratings that are among the highest in the nation and is doing well financially. The hospital’s CEO explains how they turned it around, and how almost any business can apply the same lessons.

Dr. David Feinberg, President, UCLA Health System and CEO, UCLA Hospitals

The age of puberty for girls continues to decline. It’s now medically normal for seven-year olds to experience breast development. Experts discuss the physical, social and psychological dangers of such early maturation, the possible causes, and what parents should do to protect their daughters.

Dr. Juliana Deardorff, Assistant Professor of Public Health, University of California Berkeley

Dr. Paul Kaplowitz, Professor of Pediatrics, George Washington University, Chief of Endocrinology, Children’s National Medical Center and author, Early Puberty in Girls

Dr. Richard Levy, Director, Pediatric Endocrinology, Rush University Medical Center

Dr. Frank Biro, Director, Adolescent Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital

Three to four thousand teens die each year of undiagnosed heart ailments that produce cardiac arrest. Often, victims are athletes. A noted cardiologist explains how EKG tests, which now are not usually part of sports physicals, could detect such problems and prevent deaths.

Dr. Joseph Marek, Midwest Heart Specialists, Chicago

In the 1950′s and early 1960′s, tonsillectomies were routine for children. By the 1980′s, they were completely out of favor, so children who probably needed them weren’t treated. Now, the pendulum is swinging toward the middle again. Experts discuss why children might need tonsillectomies for a variety of reasons.

Carol Smith, mother of child afflicted with tonsillitis

Dr. Richard Rosenfeld, Professor and Chair of Otolaryngology, State University of New York Medical Center, Brooklyn

Dr. Ron Mitchell, Professor of Otolaryngology and Pediatrics and Director, Pediatric ENT, St. Louis University School of Medicine

A number of common workhorse drugs used by hospitals are in very short supply. Most are generic injectable drugs for surgery, cancer treatment, and heart resuscitation. Experts discuss the reasons for the shortage, the consequences, and some of the ways hospitals, manufacturers and the FDA are trying to combat what might become a crisis.

Erin Fox, pharmacist and manager, Drug Information Service, University of Utah Hospitals

Dr. Eric Lavonas, emergency physician and chair, Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, Denver Health Medical Center

Cynthia Riley, Director, Practice Development Division, American Society of Health System Pharmacists

Many other nations rely heavily on nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, for pain relief in labor. In the US, it’s almost unheard of.  Experts, including one who uses nitrous oxide regularly for patients, discuss why nitrous oxide is so little used in the US and if it might have advantages we could adopt.

Judith Bishop, certified nurse midwife, University of California, San Francisco

Dr. Craig Palmer, Chair, American Society of Anesthesiologists Committee on Obstetrical Anesthesia

The US prison population has burgeoned the last 30 years with mostly non-violent, addicted drug offenders. With state budgets severely strained, sending these offenders into drug treatment with good followup might work better while saving money. Experts discuss research findings.

Daphne Baille, Director of Communications, Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC)

Susan Foster, Vice President and Director of Policy Research, national Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University

Cholesterol-lowering statin medications are currently prescription-only in the US, but several manufacturers have applied to take them over-the-counter. So far, they’ve been turned down. However, some other nations, notably the UK, allow them without  a prescription. Experts discuss the track record there, and the reasons for and against making these drugs more widely available.

David Foreman, The Herbal Pharmacist, retired pharmacist and naturopath, owner of Herbal Pharmacist Media and Pillars of Health

Dr. Chris Cannon, Cardiologist, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston

Dr. Andrea Leonard-Segal, Director, Division of Nonprescription Clinical Evaluation US Food and Drug Administration

Dr. Lisa Abrams, internist, North Shore University Health Systems, Deerfield, IL

Dr. Iain Simpson, consultant cardiologist, Wessex Regional Cardiac Center, Southampton, England and Vice President for Education and Research, British Cardiovascular Society

An estimated nine million Americans sweat so excessively that it disrupts life. A former sufferer and an expert discuss its  embarrassing impact and the little-known treatments that could help.

Sophia Wastler, hyperhidrosis sufferer

Dr. David Pariser, Professor of Dermatology, Eastern Virginia Medical School

sweathelp.org

Hospitals are closing their emergency rooms at a pace that frightens some health experts, even though patient visits to ER’s are increasing. The result is overcrowding and sometimes, poorer patient care. Experts discuss the mostly economic factors behind the closings and what the hospitals that remain are doing to combat the trend.

Dr. Renee Hsia, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Francisco and attending emergency physician, San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center

Dr. Rebecca Parker, emergency physician and board member, American College of Emergency Physicians

Dr. Christopher Michos, Chairman, Emergency Department, Waterbury Hospital, Waterbury, CT

Experts explain healthcare of the Revolutionary War and Continental Congress, and how a healthcare decision may  have helped Americans win their freedom from the British.

Elizabeth Fenn, Associate Professor of History, Duke University

Lisa Gensel, Assistant Archivist, University of  Delaware and curator, “The Medical World of Benjamin Franklin”

Newborn babies may be afflicted with cataracts in the eyes if their mother had one of several forms of illness during  pregnancy. An expert and a parent of such a child discuss how the cataract must be detected and surgically repaired in the first month of life if vision is to be preserved.

Dr. Joe Barr, Vice President for Global Clinical and Medical Affairs and Professional Services, Bausch & Lomb Vision Care

Peter Fraioli, parent of child born with cataracts

One of the most difficult aspects of schizophrenia treatment is a frontal lobe disability in half of patients which causes  them to deny that they are ill, prompting rejection of medication or therapy. A noted expert discusses the effects of this on patients, families and therapists, and how families can get people with schizophrenia into treatment despite this problem.

Dr. Xavier Amador, Professor of Psychology, Columbia University, Director, LEAP Institute and author, I Am Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help: How to Help Someone with Mental Illness Accept Treatment

Americans are told it’s their own fault if they’re obese. But researchers have learned that viruses and the body’s bacterial  balance might cause weight gain. Experts discuss the evidence and what it means for prevention and for society.

Dr. Richard Atkinson, Emeritus Professor of Medicine and Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin and President, Obetech Obesity Research Center

Dr. Nikhil Dhurandhar, Associate Professor, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University

Dr. Martin Blaser, Frederick King Professor and Chair of Medicine, New York University

Some people, particularly childless couples, insist they love their pets as much as anyone could love their children. Is the emotional attachment really the same? Experts discuss the evidence.

Marilyn Putz, pet loss counselor and animal behaviorist, Lincolnshire Animal Hospital, Lincolnshire IL

Laura S. Scott, founder and director, Childless By Choice documentary/reseach project and author, Two Is Enough: A Couples Guide to Living Childless By Choice

Froma Walsh, Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Chicago and Co-Director, Chicago Center for Family Health

Many shelter organizations require that homeless alcoholics be sober before they qualify for housing. However, many  homeless alcoholics are not ready to stop drinking, yet need help. Experts discuss the pro’s and con’s of a new form of housing   that allows residents to continue drinking while reducing the harm of homelessness and alcoholism.

Bill Hobson, Executive Director, DESC, Seattle

Dr. Jeff Turnbull, President, Canadian Medical Association and Medical Director, Ottawa, ON, Inner City Health Program

William Moyers, Vice President of Public Affairs and Community Relations, Hazelden Foundation

New DNA tests given for other reasons can reveal when a new baby is the product of incest, even without parental cooperation. A doctor’s legal obligation to report is clear in the case of child abuse. But what should doctors do if both parents are of age and incest is revealed? Experts discuss.

Dr. Arthur Baudet, Professor and Chair, Depatment of Molecular and human Genetics, Baylor College of  Medicine

Dr. Christine Courtois, psychologist and author, Healing the Incest Wound: Adult Survivors in Therapy

Some school districts will be spending the summer eliminating chocolate milk from cafeteria menus. Obesity fears and  added sugar or high fructose corn syrup in flavored milk are usually the reasons. However, many school lunch specialists and                   medical groups say some kids won’t drink milk, and its nutrients, without flavoring. Experts on both sides discuss.

Deborah Taylor, Director, School Nutrition Services, Shawnee, OK, Public Schools

Ann Cooper, “The Renegade Lunch Lady” and Director, Nutrition Services, Boulder Valley School District, CO

Penny McConnell, Director, Food and  Nutrition Services, Fairfax County, VA, Public Schools

Like the rest of society, doctors dress more casually than they used to. Experts discuss how this change in attire may profoundly affect the doctor-patient relationship and what patients expect doctors to look like in their attire.

Dr. Erin Marcus, Associates Professor of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

Dr. Pamela Rowland, Co-Director, Clinical Performance and Oral Examination Program, Dartmouth Medical School

Some employers, led by healthcare providers, refuse to hire tobacco users and test them for compliance. A few  even fire workers caught using tobacco at any time. Health organizations say they need to set a good example and control health costs.                   Critics contend if that’s true, overweight people may face job discrimination next. Experts on each side discuss.

Dr. Paul Terpeluk, Medical Director for Employee Health Services, Cleveland Clinic

Dr. Michael Siegel, Professor of Public Health, Boston University

Lewis Maltby, President, National Workrights Institute

Seven hundred children under age 15 drown in the US each year, most within sight of a parent or other adult. Experts discuss one major reason: drowning doesn’t look like most people picture it, and so are unaware the child is in trouble.

Dr. Francesco Pia, water safety educator

Mario Vittone, Chief Warrant Officer and Marine Safety Specialist, US Coast Guard

Health clinic counselors have learned that reproductive coercion is much more rampant than they imagined. Many young men try to get their girlfriends pregnant against their will, and often even sabotage birth control to do it. Experts discuss what might be behind this form of abuse, and how relationship education in clinics and schools could help combat it.

Dr. Elizabeth Miller, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of California, Davis, Children’s Hospital

Lisa James, Director of Health, Family Violence Prevention Fund

Dr. Aisha Mays, Program Director, Teen and Young Adult Clinic, University of California, San Francisco

Clubfoot affects some 4,000 American babies born each year. Treatment no longer requires surgery, as an expert and onetime clubfoot patient, herself the mother of a child with clubfoot, discuss.

Dr. Matthew Dobbs, Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University, St. Louis

Allison Grindon, clubfoot patient and mother of clubfoot patient.

When western medicine meets a people of a different culture, poorer communication and care are often the result. Experts discuss how mistakes are made and how medical schools and hospitals are seeking to correct them.

Dr. Joseph Betancourt, Director, Disparities Solution Center and Director, Multicultural Training, Massachusetts General Hospital

Dr. Cindy Schlesinger, Loyola University (Chicago) Stritch School of Medicine

Anne Fadiman, Frances Writer in Residence, Yale University and author, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

Motion sickness affects millions of people and can spoil many activities. Experts discuss causes and treatment.

Dr. Phyllis Kozarsky, consultant on traveler’s health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Dr. Drew Horlbeck, Director, Neurototlogy and otology, Nemours Children’s Clinic, Jacksonville, FL

Many schools are cutting recess and playgrounds to give children more time in the classroom. However, research shows that children need free play, and learn better when they have it. Two experts discuss the advantages of free play.

Bob Collins, playground designer, RGC Design, and author, The Complete Guide to Playground Development

Dr. Jodi Crane, Associate Professor and Director, Appalachian Play Therapy Center, Lindsey Wilson College

Children are most vulnerable to the toxics in our environment. The US has fewer rules requiring testing of new chemicals compared to the EU, so it is mostly up to parents to keep children safe. Two experts discuss the important steps parents can take.

Dr. Sandra Steingraber, Scholar-In-Residence, Ithaca College and author, Living Downstream and Raising Elijah: Protecting Our Children In An Age of Environmental Crisis

Dave Wentz, author, The Healthy Home: Simple Truths to Protect Your Family From Hidden Household Dangers

Few new doctors go into primary care and others are leaving, though the need for them is increasing. Two doctors who have left their practices explain the unbearable economic and medical pressures undermining the healthcare system.

Dr. Maggie Kozel, former pediatrician, author The Color of Atmosphere: One Doctor’s Journey In and Out of Medicine

Dr. Frederick Barkin, former family practitioner, author Out of Practice: Fighting for Primary Care in America

Having a child with ADHD is often difficult for parents, but when a parent has ADHD as well, it can set up an explosive situation. One such parent who went on a quest of understanding explains the “inside story” of the dynamic and suggests solutions.

Katherine Ellison, author, Buzz: A Year of Paying Attention

Many people believe that middle aged men almost inevitably face a midlife crisis, resulting in intemperate behavior, divorce and the purchase of convertibles. Experts trace the origins of the theory and why it doesn’t hold up to examination.

Dr. Margie Lachman, Professor of Psychology, Brandeis University

Dr. David Almeida, Professor of Human Development, Pennsylvania State University

UNOS, the nation’s organ transplant administrator, is examining possible new rules for the kidney transplant waiting list that would award the best kidneys to people under 35. The most would maximize years of organ life, but is it age discrimination? Experts discuss the pro’s and con’s.

Dr. Ken Andreoni, Associate Professor of Surgery, Ohio State University and chairman, kidney committee, United Network for Organ Sharing

Dr. Lainie Freidman Ross, Carolyn Matthew Buxbaum Professor of Clinical Ethics and Associate Director,  McLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics, University of Chicago

A unique 90-year study has uncovered how personality is one of the most important factors determining lifespan. One of the researchers involved in the study explains their groundbreaking findings.

Dr. Leslie Martin, Professor of Psychology, La Sierra University and co-author, The Longevity Project

Some experts believe that once the housing crisis is over, high fuel costs and commute times will begin to draw people out of suburban sprawl back into more centralized, multiple-use urban downtowns containing retail, residential, and office. It would be a major societal change executed over several decades.

David Goldberg, Communications Director, Transportation for America

Howard Frumkin, Dean, School of Public Health, University of Washington

Scott Belcher, President and CEO, Intelligent Transportation Society of America

A high percentage of servicemen and women returning from deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from post- traumatic stress disorder. Many more veterans of other conflicts still suffer from it. Experts discuss how the military and VA are exploring new ways to treat PTSD and possibly even prevent it in future deployed personnel.

Jerry Yellin, author, The Resilient Warrior

Sue Lynch, founder, There and Back Again, Charlestown, MA

Dr. David Leffler, Executive Director, Center for Advanced Military Science

Kaye Coker, licensed clinical social worker, Atlanta, and Co-Director, Veteran’s Heart-Georgia

Dr. Amishi Jha, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Miami

Societies have attempted to stamp out carnival freak shows, but they always return. Many experts believe reality TV shows are this generation’s incarnation of this phenomenon. Experts discuss the purposes they may serve society, efforts to legitimize such shows and the seemingly irresistible pull they have on many of us.

Robert Bogdan, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Special Education, Syracuse University

Andy Denhart, Assistant Professor of Journalism, Stetson University, and editor, RealityBlurred.com

Nadia Durbach, Assoc. Professor of History, University of Utah and author, Spectacle of Deformity: Freak Shows and Modern British Culture

Mark Andrejevic, Associate Professor of Communication Studies, University of Iowa

With the arrival of spring, baseball, softball and soccer take over neighborhood sports fields. A sports physician discusses the most common injuries in spring and summer sports and preventive steps to keep kids healthy.

Dr. Greg Canty, Medical Director, Center for Sports Medicine, Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Kansas City, MO

Shingles is an extremely painful affliction caused by the same virus that had sickened patients with chicken pox decades before. Experts discuss how the virus recurs, how its pain may be prevented, and what patients should do if they develop shingles.

Cheryl, shingles patient

Dr. William Schaffner, Chairman, Department of Preventive Medicine, Vanderbilt University

Dr. Barbara Yawn, Director of Research, Olmsted Medical Center, Rochester, MN

Jack Cantlin, pharmacist and Divisional Vice President, Walgreen Co.

Proper performance of medication involves more than simply taking a drug at the right time. We’re often told what food and drink we may consume or even how we may position of our bodies after we take a drug. Often instructions on these actions seem questionable or even silly. An expert pharmacist explains why they matter to making drugs work correctly.

Dr. Coralynn Trewet, Assistant Professor of Pharmacy, University of Iowa and clinical pharmacist, Broadlawns Family  Health Center, Des Moines, Iowa

A reporter given exceptional access describes the rescue last fall of 33 Chilean miners after 69 days underground, and explores in depth the immense psychological toll they suffered while buried alive.

Jonathan Franklin, author, 33 Men

American youth are facing an obesity epidemic, yet many schools are cutting physical education. Experts discuss doing more with less by teaching “lifelong PE” rather than the old team sports. Studies show this method can also improve academics.

Stephen Jefferies, Chair, Department of Health, Human Performance and Nutrition, Central Washington University and publisher, PELinks4You.org

Paul Zientarski, Department Coordinator, Physical Education, Health, and Driver Education, Naperville Central (Illinois) High School

Dr. John Ratey, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and author, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

Studies show that about half of patients don’t understand prescription labels telling them how to take medicine, costing potentially many lives and millions of dollars. Experts discuss new proposed guidelines that will make labels more clear.

Dr. Albert Wu, Professor of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University and panel member, Institute of Medicine

Dr. Joann Schwarzberg, Director of Aging and Community Health, American Medical Association and member, Safe Medication Use Expert Committee, United States Pharmacopoeia (USP)

Shawn Becker, Director, Health Care Quality, USP

Researchers are beginning to unravel what goes on in the brain as we make decisions, such as for a purchase. Experts discuss the brain pathways that determine whether a person is a tightwad or spendthrift, and how these traits can be manipulated.

Dr. Brian Knutson, Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, Stanford University

Dr. Scott Rick,  Assistant Professor of Marketing, University of Michigan

Many people have misconceptions about diabetes, and many type 1 diabetes patients feel they live in the shadow of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes patients, advocates and experts discuss the frustrations of living with a misunderstood disorder and the                   possible solutions that could emphasize the differences in what are really two separate diseases.

Angie, Type 1 diabetes patient

Allison Blass, Assistant Editor, DiabetesMind.com and founder, LemonadeLife.com

Dr. Maria Collazo-Clavell, endocrinologist, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

Riva Greenberg, diabetes educator and author, 50 Diabetes Myths That Can Ruin Your Life and the 50 Diabetes Truths That Can Save It

Medical non-compliance costs the healthcare system untold millions of dollars and sometimes costs lives. Experts discuss technology under development that could help patients take medication the way they’re supposed to.

Dr. Cynthia Russell, Associate Professor of Nursing, University of Missouri

Maysam Ghovanloo, Assistant Professor of  Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

Ajit Gill, President and CEO, Microchips, Inc.

Close relationships actually make nursing home residents healthier. But when it turns to romance, families and                   administrators may object. Dementia may mean lack of consent. Experts discuss the rights of residents to love again.

Melinda Henneberger, contributor, Slate Magazine

Dr. Stacy Lindau, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Medicine-Geriatrics, University of Chicago

Robin Dessell, Director of Memory Care Services, Hebrew Home, Riverdale, NY

What are all those unpronounceable chemicals on the ingredient list of most foods? A food writer explains his exploration of everything in a Twinkie, perhaps America’s quintessential processed food.

Steve Ettlinger, author, Twinkie Deconstructed

Rare disease are collectively not rare, affecting some 30 million Americans. A new test for about 500 rare genetic diseases has been developed, which could prompt hard choices, but ultimately greatly lessen the incidence of those diseases.  Experts discuss the test, rare diseases, and Rare Disease Day, February 28.

Craig Benson, founder, Beyond Batten Disease Foundation

Tracy Van Houten, co-founder, Noah’s Hope batten disease organization

Mary Dunkle, Vice President for Communication, National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)

Marsha Lane, genetic counselor and Medical Editor, National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)

Congressman Joseph Crowley, (D-NY)

Jonathan Bloom, author, American Wasteland

Pam Stuppy, registered dietitian, York, ME and Portsmouth, NH

Ross Fraser, spokesman, Feeding America

Douglas Starr, Professor and Co-Director, Center for Science and Medical Journalism, Boston University and author, The Killer of Little Shepherds

Alisa Bowman, author, Project: Happily Ever After and editor, ProjectHappilyEverAfter.com

Dr. Howard Markman, Professor of Psychology, University of Denver and author, Fighting for Your Marriage

Dr. Gary Lewandowski, Professor of Psychology, Monmouth University

Dr. Steven Goldstein, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University Langone Medical Center, President, North American Menopause Society and author, Could It Be Perimenopause?

Dr. Steven Nakajima, Professor and Director, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, University of Louisville

Mary Gordon, founder and President, Roots of Empathy

Dr. Kim Schonert-Reichle, Associate Professor of Educational and Counseling Psychology and Special Education, University of British Columbia

Dr. Robert Montgomery, Professor of Surgery and Director, Comprehensive Transplant Center, Johns Hopkins University

Dr. Ken Andreoni, Associate Professor of Surgery, Ohio State University, and Chairman, Kidney Transplant Committee, United Network for Organ Sharing

Dr. Peter Dicpingaitis, Director, Montefiore Cough Center, Bronx, NY

Joan Liebman-Smith, co-author, Body Signs: From Warning Signs to False Alarms, How to Be Your Own Diagnostic Detective

Amy Kuebelbeck, author, Waiting With Gabriel and A Gift of Time: Continuing Your Pregnancy When Your Baby’s Life is Expected To Be Brief and founder, PerinatalHospice.org

Liz Sumner, Director, Center for Compassionate Care, Elizabeth Hospice, Escondido, CA

Kathie Kobler, Bereavement Coordinator for Women and Children’s Services, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, IL

Dr. Veronique Bohbot, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, McGill University

Dr. Michael Merzenich, Professor Emeritus of Neuroscience, University of California-San Francisco and Chief Scientific Officer, Posit Science Co.

Glen Schorr, Execuctive Director, Orienteering USA

Dr. Richard Restak, Professor of Neurology, George Washington Hospital, co-author, The Playful Brain: The Surprising Science of How Puzzles Improve Your Mind

Scott Kim, independent game designer, co-author, The Playful Brain: The Surprising Science of How Puzzles Improve Your Mind

Constance Row, Executive Director, American Academy of Homecare Physicians

Dr. Bill Zaffrau, Medical Director, Summacare Physician Housecalls

Dr. Teresa Koenig, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Summa Insurance Co.

Anna Davis, housecall patient

Jim Champy, Chairman Emeritus, Dell Consulting Services and author, Reengineering Healthcare: A Manifesto for Radically Rethinking Healthcare Delivery

Ilya Shapiro, Senior Fellow in Constitutional Studies, CATO Institute

Harold Krent, Professor and Dean, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law

Timothy Jost, Professor of Law, Washington and Lee University

Ben Domenech, Research Fellow, Heartland Institute and Managing Editor, Healthcare News

Dr. Chloe Atkins, Associate Professor of  Law and Society, University of Calgary and author, My Imaginary Illness: A Journey Into Uncertainty and Prejudice in Medical Diagnosis

Dr. Brian Hodges, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Toronto

Dr. Christopher Kearney, Professor of Psychology, University of Nevada-Las Vegas

Dr. Karen Cassiday, clinical psychologist, Anxiety and Agoraphobia Treatment Center, Northbrook, IL

Dr. Daniel Edelberg, fibromyalgia specialist and founder, WholeHealthChicago.com

Elizabeth Battaglino Cahill, Executive Director, HealthyWomen.org

Dr. Daniel Levitin, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, McGill University and author, The World In Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature

Allen Shawn, author, “Wish I Could Be There: Notes From A Phobic Life”

Jerilyn Ross, President, Anxiety Disorders Association of America

Mia Biran, Associate. Professor of Clinical Psychology, Miami University

Dr. Matthew Edlund, Director, Center for Circadian Medicine, Editor, TheRestDoctor.com and author, The Power of Rest

Heather Sellers, Professor of English, Hope College and author, You Don’t Look Like Anyone I Know

Dr. Ken Nakayama, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University and lead researcher, Prosopagnosia Research Center

Dr. Brad Duchaine, Associate Professor of Psychological Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College and researcher, Prosopagnosia Research Center

Will Rowe, CEO, American Pain Foundation

Dr. Jason Hymes, Conservative Care Specialist Medical Group, Los Angeles and Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Southern California

Keith Hodges, pharmacist, Gloucester, VA and spokesman, National Community Pharmacists Association

Dr. Michael Brennan, Pain Center of Fairfield, CT and Senior Attending Physician, Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT

Dr. George Grossberg, Professor and Director of Geriatric Psychiatry, St. Louis. University School of Medicine and author, The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide: The Safe Way to Use Medications and Supplements Together

Dr. Helen Fisher, Rutgers University anthropologist and scientific advisor, chemistry.com

Dr. Paul Dobransky, psychiatrist and CEO, womenshappiness.com and drpaul.net

Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Professor of Sociology, University of Washington and consultant, perfectmatch.com

Dr. Michael Roizen, Chief Wellness Officer, Cleveland Clinic, inventor of Real Age, and author of Real Age and You book series

Carly Roney, Editor in Chief, TheBump.com pregnancy and parenting website

Dr. Randy Frost, Professor of Psychology, Smith College, co-author, Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things

Dr. Gail Steketee, Dean and Professor of Social Work, Boston University, co-author, Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things

Dr. Michael Tompkins, psychologist, San  Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy and co-author, Digging Out: Helping Your Loved One Manage Clutter, Hoarding and Compulsive Acquiring

Dr. John Locke, Professor of Linguistics, City University of New York and author, Eavesdropping: An Intimate History

Meredith Maran, author, My Lie: A True Story of False Memory

Dr. Francine Shapiro, Senior Research  Fellow, Mental Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA

Dr. Janis Whitlock, research scientist, Family Life Development Center, Cornell University

Dr. Wendy Lader, President, Safe Alternatives and Self-Injury Foundation, and co-author, Bodily Harm: The Breakthrough Healing Program for Self-Injurers

Susan Bowman, licensed Professional counselor, Vice President, Youthlight Publishers and Developmental Resources, and co-author, See My Pain

Penny Frazier, pine nut grower and distributor, and operator of pinenut.com

Dr. Mark-David Munk, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Director, Emergency Medical Services Academy, University of New Mexico

Nancy, “pine mouth” sufferer

Ron Honberg, Director of Policy and Legal Affairs, National Alliance on Mental Illness

Jeff Locke,  Lieutenant, Miami, Florida, Police Department

Habsi Kaba, Crisis Intervention Team Training Coordinator, Miami-Dade County

Dr. Linda Teplin, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University

Dr. Brian Wansink, Director, Cornell University Food and Brand Lab and author, Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think

Dr. Barbara Rolls, Professor of Nutritional Sciences, Penn State University and author, The Volumetrics Eating Plan: Techniques and Recipes for Feeling Full on Fewer Calories

Ben Domenech, Research Fellow, Heartland Institute and Managing Editor, Health Care News

Dr.   Linda Blumberg, Senior Fellow, urban Institute Health Policy Center

Dr. Christopher Michos, Chairman, Emergency Department, Waterbury Hospital, Waterbury, CT

Dr. Paul Austin, emergency physician, Durham, NC, and author, Something for the Pain: Compassion and Burnout in the ER

Dr. Diana Gruman, Associate Professor of Psychology, Western Washington University

Dr. Frederic Medway, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology, University of South Carolina

Dr. Mark Perloe, Medical Director, Georgia Reproductive Specialists, Atlanta

Dr. Peter Ahlering, Medical Director, Sher Institutes for Reproductive Medicine, St. Louis

“Jennifer,” PCOS patient

Sports injuries: do athletes come back too soon?

Dr. Johnny Benjamin, Chief of Orthopedics, Indian River Medical Center, Vero Beach, FL

King Kaufman, Sports Columnist, Salon.com

Dr. Ned Amendola, orthopedic surgeon and Director of Sports Medicine, University of Iowa

Dr. June Robinson, Professor of Clinical Dermatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Dr. Babar Rao, Associate Professor of Dermatology, Robert Wood  Johnson Medical School

Brooke Weber, melanoma patient and former frequent tanner

Cindy Mannes, Vice President, National Pest Management Association

Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD)

Bob Offer-Westort, civil rights organizer, Coalition on Homelessness

Neil Donovan, Executive Director, National Coalition for the Homeless

Michael Gurion, President, Gurion Institute and author, The Purpose of Boys

Dr. Philip Schauer, Professor of Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and Director, Cleveland Clinic Bariatric and Metabolic Institute

Karin Anderson, bariatric surgery patient

Boys Violent Play

Dr. Mary Ellin Logue, Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education, University of Maine

Jane Katch, kindergarten teacher and author, Under Deadman’s Skin: Discovering the Meaning of Children’s Violent Play

Have We Forgotten the Fight Against Tobacco?

Dr. Kenneth Warner, Dean, University of Michigan School of Public Health

Dr. Stanton Glatz, Director, Center for Tobacco Control, Research and Education

Dr. Randy Seely, Prof of Medicine, University of Cincinnati Diabetes and Obesity Center

Baby Dumping

• Michelle Oberman, Professor of Law, Santa Clara University and author, Mothers Who Kill Their Children and Speaking of the Unspeakable: Conversations With Mothers Who Kill
• Linda Meyer, Executive Director, Mother-to-Mother Telephone Support
• Dr. Diane Sanford, psychologist and co-author, The Pregnancy and Postpartum Survival Guide

The search for a new prostate cancer test

Norman Morris, co-author, Prostate Cancer Survivors Speak Their Minds

Dr. Grace Lu-Yao, Professor of Medicine, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Dr. Graham Cooks, Prof of Analytical Chemistry, Purdue University

Dr. Jerome Kagan, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Harvard University, and author, The Temperamental Thread

Dr. Lubomir Lamy, Assistant Professor of Psychology, South Paris University

Dr. Charles Areni, Professor of Marketing, University of Sydney

Dr. Kevin Volpp, Director, Center for Health Incentives, University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Robert Jeffery, Professor of Public Health and Director, Obesity Prevention Center, University of Minnesota

Dr. John Corrigan, Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ohio State University

Lisa Meddock, Manager of Benefits, Ohio Health Corp.

Dr. Art Caplan, Director, Center for Bioethics, University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Gregory Price, Professor of Economics, Morehouse College

Deborah Rhode, Director, Stanford Center for the Legal Profession.

Kermit Crawford, Executive Vice President, Pharmacy, Walgreens Co.

Dr. William Schaffner, Chairman, Department of Preventive Medicine, Vanderbilt University and member, Committee on Immunization Practices, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Dr. Sharon Frey, Interim Director, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, St. Louis University School of Medicine.

Dr. Chris Kammer, Lifetime Family Dentistry, Middleton, WI

Dave Peralta, Chief Operating and Financial Officer, Nano-Bio Corp.

Amy Boesky, Associate Professor of English, Boston College and author, What We Have: One Family’s Inspiring Story About Love, Loss, and Survival

Don Schaffner, Professor of Food Science, Rutgers University

Denise Korniewicz, Senior Assoc. Dean for Research, University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies

Dr. Donna Garren, Vice President for Health and Safety Regulatory Affairs, National Restaurant Association

Dr. Jim Versalovic, Chairman., Department of Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital and Professor of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine

Dr. Richard Sharp, Director, Bioethics Research, Cleveland Clinic and Co-Director, Center for Genetic Research, Ethics and Law, Case Western Reserve University

Dr. Ross Rentea, Chief, Research and Development, True Botanica

Barry Petersen, CBS News Correspondent and author, Jan’s Story: Love Lost to the Long Goodbye of Alzheimer’s

Dr. Ronald Kendall, Director, Institute of Environmental and Human Health and Chairman, Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University

Dr. Lawrence Palinkas, Professor of Social Work, University of Southern California

Dr. Steven Picou, Professor of Sociology, University of South Alabama.

Dr. Sam Whiting, medical oncologist, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance

Anita Mitchell, diagnosed with colon cancer at 41

Meg Wilson, wronged spouse and author, Hope After Betrayal

Dr. Craig Fabrikant, clinical psychologist, Coral Springs, FL

Maureen Canning, clinical consultant, The Meadows treatment facility, Wickenburg, AZ, and author, Lust, Anger, Love: Understanding Sexual Addiction and the Road to Healthy Intimacy; “Melanie,” relationship addict

Sara Mednick, researcher, Salk Institute

Tihana Johnston, napper

Helene Emsellem, Director, Center for Sleep and Wake Disorders, George Washington University

Ben Michaels, Mary Murphy, and Ron Flex, DeKalb County, IL, residents living near wind farm

Dr. David Colby, Assoc. Prof. of Medicine, Microbiology, Immunology and Physiology in Pharmacology, Univ. of Western Ontario

Dr. Robert McCunney, research scientist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Dr. Alex Salt, Prof. of Otolaryngology, Washington Univ. in St. Louis

Dr. Paul Dawson, Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Clemson University

Darci Klein, pregnancy loss patient, founder, www.preventpregnancyloss.org and author, To Full Term: A Mother’s Triumph Over Miscarriage

Dr. Kristin Swanson, Prof. and Chair, Family and Child Nursing, Univ. of Washington

Dr. Jonathan Scher, Mt. Sinai Medical School and author, Preventing Miscarriage: The Good News

Dr. Alan Beck, Director, Purdue Univ. Center for the Animal-Human Bond

Dr. Shoshanna Bennett, clinical psychologist, author, Postpartum Depression for Dummies and founder, DrShosh.com

Dr. Paul Ramchandani, Senior Psychiatry Research Fellow, Univ. of Oxford

Dr. Will Courtenay, founding editor, International Journal of Men’s Health, founder, MensDoc.com and PostPartumMen.com

Dave Pavesic, Prof. of Hospitality Administration, Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality, Georgia State Univ.

George Rapp, menu consultant; Phil Vettel, restaurant critic, Chicago Tribune

Dr. Daniel Carlat, Assoc. Clinical Prof. of Psychiatry, Tufts Univ. and author, Unhinged

Dr. Charles Wibblesman, Chief, Teenage Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, San Francisco

Dr. Ken Ginsberg, adolescent medicine specialist, Children’s Hospital, Philadelphia

Dr. John Klein, Assoc. Prof. of Pediatrics, University of Rochester and Chair, American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Adolescents.

Karen Douglas, wife of Huntington’s sufferer; Louise Vetter, CEO, Huntington’s Disease Society of America

Vanessa Maltin, Food & Lifestyle Editor, Delight Gluten-Free magazine, member Celiac Program Advisory Board, Children’s National Medical Center and author, Gloriously Gluten-Free Cookbook

Elaine Monarch, founder and Executive Director, Celiac Disease Foundation

Dr. Keith Laskin, Medical Director, Celiac Center, Paoli Hospital

NOTE CONTACT POINTS: Celiac Disease Foundation, celiac.org; Vanessa Maltin, celiacprincess.com.

Dr. Jean Greaves and Dr. Travis Bradberry, co-authors, The Emotional Intelligence Quickbook and Emotional Intelligence 2.0

Dr. Travis Bradberry, co-author, The Emotional Intelligence Quickbook and  Emotional Intelligence 2.0

Dr. Jean Greaves talks to us about her fantastic new book, hitting stores tomorrow.

Oprah’s favorite physician discusses the pros and cons of having a ridiculous last name.

Dr. Joel Weinstock, Chief, Division of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, Tufts Medical Center and Prof. of Medicine, Tufts Univ.

Thom McDade, Assoc. Prof. of Anthropology and Faculty Fellow, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern Univ.

Tracy and Jennifer Van Houten, founders, NoahsHope.com and parents of children with Batten disease

Dr. Beverly Davidson, Roy J. Carver Biomedical Research Chair, Univ. of Iowa.

NOTE CONTACT POINT CITED: www.NoahsHope.com

Dr. Kent Kiehl, Assoc. Prof. of Psychology & Neuroscience, Univ. of New Mexico and Director, Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Mind Research Network

Michael Haederly, Contributing Editor, Miller-McCune Magazine

Dr. Stephen Morse, Prof. of Law and Prof. of Psychology and Law in Psychiatry, Univ. of Pennsylvania

Deborah Denno, Prof. of Law, Fordham Univ.

Sandy Markwood, CEO, National Assn. of Area Agencies on Aging

Robert McNulty, President and CEO, Partners for Livable Communities

Dr. Mark Fenske, Asst. Prof. of Psychology, Univ. of Guelph and Dr. Jeff Brown, psychologist, Harvard Medical School, co-authors, The Winner’s Brain: Eight Strategies Great Minds Use to Achieve Success

Dr. John Spink, Assoc. Director and Asst. Prof. of Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection, Michigan State Univ.

Jim Morehouse, Senior Partner, A.T. Kearney management consultants

Bruce Silverglade, Director, Legal Affairs, Center for Science in the Public Interest

Maria Malin, author, When You Just Can’t Say Goodbye, Don’t and website, www.movingforwardhangingon.com

Dr. Michael Gurion, President, Gurion Institute and author, Boys and Girls Learn Differently

Patricia Hyams, 4th grade teacher, Chicago north shore suburbs

Dr. Peter Mortola, Assoc. Prof. of School Counseling Psychology, Lewis and Clark College

Kim Gandy, Vice President and General Counsel, Feminist Majority and former President, National Organization for Women

Dr. Roger Cady, Director, Headache Care Center, Springfield, MO, and board member, National Headache Foundation

Daniel, Wilson, Prof. of History, Muhlenberg College and polio survivor

Dr. Julie Silver, Asst. Prof. of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School

Becky Lloyd, researcher, American West Center, University of Utah

Dr. Randi Hutter Epstein, author, Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth from the Garden of Eden to the Sperm Bank

Dr. Morris Flynn, Asst. Prof. of Mechanical Engineering, Univ. of Alberta

Dr. John Lee, Prof. of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison

Dr. Richard Lerner, Prof. of Applied Developmental Science, Tufts Univ. and author, The Good Teen: Rescuing Adolescents from the Myths of the Storm and Stress Years

Dr. Lisa Boesky, psychologist and author, When to Worry: How to Tell If Your Teen Needs Help and What to Do About It

Dr. Stuart Ablon, Director, Think: Kids, Massachusetts General Hospital, Assoc. Prof. of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and co-author, Treating Explosive Kids: The Collaborative Problem Solving Approach

Matthew Rayback, editor, Ancestry.com and author, Bad Baby Names

Cleveland Kent Evans, Assoc. Prof. of Psychology, Bellevue Univ., past President, American Name Society (www.wtsn.binghamton.edu/ANS/default.htm)

Dr. Bryan Liang, Exec. Director, Institute of Health Law Studies, California Western School of Law, Co- Director, San Diego Center for Patient Safety, University of California, San Diego, and Vice President, Partnership for Safe Medicines

Peter Pitts, President, Center for Medicine in the Public Interest and former Assoc. Commissioner, US Food and Drug Administration

Randi Davenport, Exec. Director, Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and author, The Boy Who Loved Tornadoes

Jodee Blanco, author, Please Stop Laughing At Us (jodeeblanco.com)

Staness Jonakos, co-author, The Menopause Makeover

Dr. Paul Ginsberg, President, Center for Studying Health System Change

Nancy Metcalf, Senior Program Editor, Consumer Reports Magazine

Dr. David G. Hunter, Ophthalmologist in Chief, Children’s Hospital, Boston and Vice Chair of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School

Steven Waite, Partner and Director of Strategy, Research 2.0

Dr. Melina Jampolis, physician nutrition specialist and diet/fitness expert, CNN Health

Dr. Catherine Davis, Assoc. Prof. of Pediatrics, Medical College of Georgia

Dr. Eric Storch, Assoc. Prof. of Pediatric Psychiatry and Psychology, Univ. of South Florida

Dr. Dianne Newmark-Sztainer, Prof. of Public Health, Univ. of Minnesota and author, I’m Like, So Fat: Helping Your Teen Make Healthy Choices About Eating and Exercise in a Weight-Obsessed World

Lisa Guernsey, Director, Early Childhood Initiative, New America Foundation

Dr. Sarah Hartley, Principal, North Ranch Elementary School, Scottsdale, AZ

Jessica Rhodes, Communications Director, Superintendent of Schools, State of Montana

Dr. Betsey Stevenson, Asst. Prof. of Economics, Wharton School, Univ. of Pennsylvania

Nancy Napolski Johnson, 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist, Rifle

Dr. Beckett Broh, Asst. Prof. of Sociology, Capital Univ.

Jonah Lehrer, contributing editor, “Scientific American Mind” and author, How We Decide

Dr. Luis Zayas, Prof. of Social Work and Psychiatry, Washington Univ., St. Louis

Dr. Soad Michelsen, child and adolescent psychiatrist, Southwest Mental Health Center, San Antonio

Dr. Joshua Dunaief, Asst. Prof. of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, Univ. of Pennsylvania

Mildren Schwartz, vision loss patient

Cheryl Cmiel, registered nurse, Mayo Clinic

Kim Chalmers, former hospital patient

Susan Mazer, President, Healing Healthcare Systems; Ilene Bush-Vishniac, Prof. of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins Univ

Kelly Mather, CEO, Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Lakeport, CA.

Dr. Carmel Dyer, Prof. of Internal Medicine and Huffington Chair of Gerontology, Univ. of Texas Medical School

Dr. Laura Mosqueda, Director of Geriatrics and Ronald Reagan Chair of Geriatrics, Univ. of California-Irvine

Joe Soos, founder, Gray Crimes Project

Ethan Watters, author, Crazy Like Us: The Globalization of the American Psyche

Dr. Ira Byock, head of palliative medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH and author, Dying Well

Dr. Nancy Keating, Assoc. Prof. of Medicine and Healthcare Policy, Harvard Univ.

Dr. Douglas White, Assoc. Prof. of Critical Care Medicine and Director, Program on Ethics in Critical Care Medicine, Univ. of Pittsburgh

Dr. Michael Gropper, Prof. of Anesthesia and Director, Adult Critical Care Medicine, Univ. of California San Francisco Medical Center

Dr. Yvonne Collins, gynecologic oncologist, Advocate Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn, IL

Michelle Whitlock, cervical cancer survivor.

Vickie Patton, Deputy General Counsel, Environmental Defense Fund

Marlo Lewis, Senior Fellow, Competitive Enterprise Institute

Sarah Saylor, Senior Legislative Representative, EarthJustice

Howard Feldman, Director, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs, American Petroleum Institute

Dr. Anita Kumar-Gill, Medical Director, Eating Disorders Center of Denver

Dr. Douglas Bunnell, Vice President and Director of Outpatient Clinical Services, Renfrew Center, Philadelphia, and former President, National Eating Disorders Assn.

Barbara Duffield, Policy Director, National Assn. for the Education of Homeless Children and You

Heather Lipe Bradley, Youth Outreach Manager, Night Ministry, Chicago

Daria Mueller, Senior Policy Analyst, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless

Maureen Blaha, Executive Director, National Runaway Switchboard

Dr. Martha White, Director of Research, Institute for Asthma and Allergy, Wheaton, MD

Nancy Block, co-founder, Center for Egg Options, Chicago, and the Donor Network Alliance

Jennifer Lahl, National Director and founder, Center for Bioethics and Culture.

Zina Bahai, scoliosis patient

Dr. Steve Mardjetko, spine surgeon, Illinois Bone and Joint Institute, Morton Grove, IL.

Dr. Joseph Lee, child & adolescent psychiatrist and adolescent addiction specialist, Hazelden Treatment Center

Dr. Marsha Rosenbaum, Director Emerita, Safety First Project, Drug Policy Alliance

Dr. Marv Seppala, Chief Medical Officer, Hazelden Foundation; Joseph Califano, President & CEO, Natl. Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, Columbia Univ. and author, How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid: The Straight Dope for Parents

Dr. Rachel Herz, Visiting Prof. of Psychology, Brown Univ. and author, The Scent of Desire

Terry Molnar, Exec. Dir., Sense of Smell Institute

Michael Bugeja, Director, Greenlee School of Journalism and Communications, Iowa State Univ. of Science and Technology and author, Interpersonal Divide

The Search for Community in a Technological Age

Dr. John Cacioppo, Director, Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience, Univ. of Chicago

Dr. Daniel Perlman, Prof. of Human Development and Family Studies, Univ. of North Carolina at Greensboro

Dr. Jerome Groopman, Prof. of Medicine, Harvard Univ., and author, How Doctors Think

Michael Millenson, Visiting Scholar, Kellogg School of management, Northwestern Univ., President, Health Quality Advisors and author, Demanding Medical Excellence

Dr. Ann O’Malley, Senior Health Researcher, Center for Studying Health System Change

Dr. Louise Russell, Research Prof., Institute for Health, Rutgers Univ.

Dr. Andrew Jacono, North Shore Univ. Hospital, Manhasset, NY and Director, NY Center for Facial Plastic and Laser Surgery

Dr. Anthony Terrasse, American Society of Plastic Surgeons

Dr. Marco Pelosi III, Co-Director, Pelosi Women’s Medical Center, Bayonne NJ and Co-Founder, Intl. Society of Cosmetogynecology

Dr. Marlene Zuk, Prof. of Biology, Univ. of California, Riverside, and author, Riddled With Life: Friendly Worms, Ladybug Sex and the Parasites That Make Us Who We Are

Dr. Abby Abelson, Interim Chrmn, Dept. of Rheumatology, staff member, osteoporosis center, Cleveland Clinic, and author, The Cleveland Clinic Guide to Osteoporosis

Sue Arth, career coach and consultant, San Diego

Dr. Jessica Schairer, Asst. Prof. of Psychiatry, UCLA Geffen School of Medicine

Dr. Eva. Ritvo, Vice Chrmn., Dept. of Psychiatry, Miller School of Medicine, Univ. of Miami

Dr. Robert Sears, editor, AskDrSears.com and author, Happy Baby: The Organic Guide to Baby’s First 24 Months

Carnell Smith, founder, U.S. Citizens Against Paternity Fraud

Peter Moore, Editor, “Men’s Health” magazine

Prof. Mary Mahowald, ethicist, Univ. of Chicago

Dr. Lainie Friedman Ross, Prof. and Assoc. Director, McLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics, Univ. of Chicago

Dan Hurley, medical writer, New York Times and author, Diabetes Rising: How a Rare Disease Became a Modern Pandemic and What to Do About It